CABINET OFFICE

Intruders (Government Buildings)

Philip Hammond: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office whether his Department monitors the number of false alarms by intruder alarms in buildings which it occupies on the Government Estate.

Douglas Alexander: A record of all alarm activations, whether true or false, is made by my Department where we are responsible for the security provision of a building.

ENVIRONMENT FOOD AND RURAL AFFAIRS

Bovine TB

Elfyn Llwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what action her Department proposes to arrest the spread of bovine tuberculosis; and if she will make a statement.

Ben Bradshaw: Defra is working hard to arrest the spread of bovine TB. We are spending £35 to £40 million a year on a programme of public health protection measures, cattle testing, cattle controls and extensive research.
	Last autumn we introduced a package of measures in response to industry calls, aimed at helping farmers under TB restriction and improving the diagnosis of the disease.
	In February we announced a review of the current TB Strategy. This will form an integral part of Defra's Animal Health and Welfare Strategy. Discussions with stakeholders have begun and public consultation is expected in the autumn.
	Discussions with stakeholders are also under way on a series of short-term policy options. These focus on cattle controls and improving the delivery of the TB programme. We will consult on these proposals later this year.

Climate Change

Claire Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps the Government has taken to tackle climate change and improve air quality.

Elliot Morley: The UK Climate Change Programme, published in 2000, sets out the policy framework for delivering the UK's Kyoto commitment to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 12.5 per cent. below base year levels by 2008–12 and to move towards the domestic goal of reducing carbon dioxide emissions by 20 per cent. below 1990 levels by 2010.
	Policies in the Climate Change Programme include the following:
	the Climate Change Levy, which applies to energy used in the business and public sectors, is helping to fund measures to promote better energy efficiency in business and the public sector;
	Climate Change Agreements which allow energy intensive business users to receive 80 per cent. discount from the Climate Change Levy, in return for meeting challenging energy efficiency or carbon saving targets;
	the Carbon Trust, which is recycling about £100 million of climate change levy receipts to boost the take-up of cost-effective, low-carbon technologies;
	a UK-wide Emissions Trading Scheme, with Government support of £215 million over five years;
	targets to provide 10 per cent. of the UK's electricity from renewable sources of energy by 2010;
	the Energy Efficiency Commitment, which requires electricity and gas suppliers to help domestic customers to save energy and cut fuel bills;
	European Union voluntary agreements with car manufacturers to improve fuel efficiency by at least 25 per cent., backed up by changes to vehicle excise duty and company car taxation, and the 10 Year Plan for Transport.
	Data for emissions of the basket of six greenhouse gases for 2001, submitted to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change in April 2003, show that emissions fell by 12.3 per cent. between the base year and 2001. Emissions of carbon dioxide for 2002 are provisionally estimated at 8 to 9 per cent. below 1990 levels.
	Latest projections suggest we are well on course to meet our Kyoto commitment, a conclusion that is also supported by a recent independent assessment by the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change.
	The Government's policies on improving air quality are set out in detail in the Air Quality Strategy for England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, published in January 2000. The Strategy explains the measures that are in place to reduce emissions of harmful pollutants from all sectors, including road transport and industry. Copies are available via the Department's website at www.defra.gov.uk/environment/airquality.
	Air quality in urban areas has improved significantly over the last decade, as a result largely of the progressively tighter European Union standards for new vehicles and fuels, and of the continuing reduction in total emissions from industry. The air quality headline indicator, published annually, shows that the average number of days of moderate or poor air quality in urban areas of the UK has reduced from 59 days in 1993 to 20 days in 2002 and, in rural areas, from 50 days in 1990 to 30 days in 2002.

Common Agricultural Policy

Nick Gibb: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs whether all internal reforms of the Common Agricultural Policy will be reflected in EU commitments at the forthcoming WTO trade round negotiations in Cancun.

Ben Bradshaw: The internal reforms of the Common Agricultural Policy provide a good basis for a successful outcome to the negotiations at Cancun. We want the EU to make full use of the opportunity which the reforms provide, but it will also be necessary for other WTO members to demonstrate their own commitment to a successful outcome.

Council of Ministers

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on how many occasions since May 1997 the Department's vote in the Council of Ministers against a legislative proposal (a) was sufficient and (b) was not sufficient to achieve with other member states a blocking minority.

Ben Bradshaw: The Department does not hold information in the form requested in parts (a) and (b) prior to 1999. The information could be assembled only at disproportionate cost.
	On no occasion since 1999 was the vote by this Department or its predecessors against a legislative proposal sufficient to achieve with other member states a blocking minority.
	On three occasions since 1999 the vote against a legislative proposal by this Department and its predecessors was not sufficient to achieve with other Member States a blocking minority.

Council of Ministers

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on how many occasions since May 1997 the Department indicated dissent from a proposal in the Council of Ministers but did not register a vote or abstention.

Ben Bradshaw: The Department does not hold information in the form requested prior to 1999. The information is not held centrally or electronically and could only be assembled at disproportionate cost.
	On no occasion since 1999 has this Department or its predecessors indicated dissent from a proposal in the Council of Ministers but did not register a vote or abstention.

Countryside Protection

Claire Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps the Government has taken to protect Britain's countryside and natural resources.

Alun Michael: Details of the action we took during 2002–03 and our aims for 2003–04 are set out in Defra's most recent annual report, copies of which are in the Library. The report is also available on Defra's website at http://defraweb/corporate/deprep/default.htm.

Dog and Cat Fur Trade

Anthony Steen: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when she will reply to the letter from the hon. Member for Totnes of 19 May concerning the early day motion calling for a ban on trade in cat and dog fur.

Alun Michael: A letter was sent to the hon. Member on 30 May stating that as this matter was for the Department of Trade and Industry his letter had been transferred from Defra to the DTI for reply.

Exotic Imports

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many licences for importing exotic (a) birds, (b) reptiles, (c) mammals, (d) amphibians and (e) fish for the pet trade have been given during the last three years, broken down by (i) month and (ii) species; and if she will make a statement.

Elliot Morley: The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species makes it a requirement on an importer to obtain a licence for certain species which are listed on the Appendices to the Convention. They are not defined as 'exotic' as such, but are listed on the appendices according to their conservation status.
	Our records, which are kept on an annual not monthly basis, show the numbers of species imported for commercial purposes—these are not necessarily exclusive to the pet trade. The following table shows the number of licences issued in each of the last three years by taxonomic category.
	
		
			  Birds Reptiles Mammals Amphibians Fish 
		
		
			 2000 298 199 13 10 21 
			 2001 469 202 31 8 22 
			 2002 758 234 1 9 12

Genetically Modified Organisms

Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what research her Department has (a) commissioned, (b) undertaken, (c) reviewed, (d) completed, (e) published or received and (f) ensured the appropriate peer review of in respect of the impact of genetically modified foods consumed by humans upon their health in the last five years.

Elliot Morley: Policy responsibility for the safety of genetically modified foods lies with the Food Standards Agency. I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by my right hon. Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Public Health on 3 July 2003, Official Report, column 483W.

Pig Farmers

Gwyn Prosser: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps she is taking to ensure that pig farmers comply with Paragraph 4 of the Annex to Council Directive 91/630/EEC (as amended) to ensure that pigs are provided with straw or a similar natural material, rather than objects such as footballs and chains; and if she will make a statement.

Ben Bradshaw: We have fully implemented the provision on environmental enrichment from Commission Directive 2001/93/EC in the Welfare of Farmed Animals (England) (Amendment) Regulations 2003, which came into force on 14 February.
	The Directive gives examples of materials suitable for environmental enrichment, rather than a prescriptive list. In terms of enrichment, the choice of material is secondary to whether it achieves the aim of enabling the pig to satisfy its need to manipulate and to investigate and thus help to reduce aggressive behaviour. Our new pig welfare code, which provides guidance on the Regulations, stresses that straw is an excellent material, but also gives advice to those farmers where straw is not a practical solution. Objects such as chains or footballs can only be used in conjunction with other manipulable materials or when changed on a weekly basis. When tail biting occurs the code requires that a full investigation is made and also recommends that the provision of environmental enrichment is reviewed and an action plan developed which should be incorporated into the farm animal health and welfare plan. This plan should in any case be revised annually by the farmer and his veterinary surgeon or other advisers.
	It is the welfare of the pig that matters. If it is found that the material used does not allow the pigs to investigate and manipulate and the pigs are tail biting, then the farmer will need to find an alternative material.

Rights of Way

Candy Atherton: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what funding was made available by her Department in (a) 2002–03 and (b) 2003–04 (i) directly and (ii) via local budgets for work to improve public rights of way.

Alun Michael: The allocation for rights of way improvement is subsumed in the unhypothecated Environment Protection and Cultural Services block, a methodology that was agreed between the Government and the Local Government Association as is supported by all four political groups in the Association rather than through direct grants or ring-fenced support to local government. So we cannot say exactly how much funding has gone to local authorities to improve the rights of way network. I confirmed with the leaders of all four groups on the LGA their agreement that this was the right approach for this funding.

PRIME MINISTER

Overseas Visits

Michael Ancram: To ask the Prime Minister if he will list the foreign visits he has made since 1 April; what the dates were; whom he met; what the cost to public funds was of each; and what gifts were received on each.

Tony Blair: A list of all visits overseas undertaken by Cabinet Ministers from 1 April 2002 to 31 March 2003 costing more than £500 will be published in the normal way before the House rises. The information requested concerning the Prime Minister's travel since 1 April 2003 will be published at the end of the current financial year.
	For gifts, I refer the right hon. Member to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Tatton (Mr. Osborne) on 12 May 2003, Official Report, column 88W.

EDUCATION AND SKILLS

School Fires

Tom Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the estimated cost of fires in schools was to local education authorities in each of the last three years.

David Miliband: The Department does not collect these figures.

Council of Ministers

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills on how many occasions since May 1997 the Department indicated dissent from a proposal in the Council of Ministers but did not register a vote or abstention.

Alan Johnson: We are unable to provide statistics on the details of the Department's vote in the Council of Ministers for the period before 1999 as this information is available only at disproportionate cost.
	Since January 1999, there have been no occasions where the Department has indicated dissent from a proposal in the Council of Ministers but did not register a vote or abstention.

Departmental Employment Costs

Damian Green: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the average cost of an employee working in his Department has been in each year since 1997.

Charles Clarke: The average cost of an employee in my Department based on mean basic pay, superannuation and employer's national insurance contributions since 1997 is given in the following table:
	
		
			  £ 
		
		
			 2002–03 30,600 
			 2001–02 29,000 
			 2000–01 26,800 
			 1999–2000 25,900 
			 1998–99 25,400 
			 1997–98 24,700 
			 1996–97 23,900 
		
	
	For the period 1996–97 to 2000–01 (the period for which comparisons are available), this shows a 12 per cent. increase in average cost for the Department. This compares to a 21 per cent. increase in average salary for the labour market as a whole over the period and a 19 per cent. increase in average salary for teachers in London over the same period.

EU Regulations

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many regulations originating from the EU have been implemented by the Department over each of the last five years.

Alan Johnson: Regulations are, in general, directly applicable in the member states, without the need for implementation in national law.
	As far as we have been able to verify, the Department for Education and Skills has had no regulation for implementation over the last five years.

Graduate Teachers

David Cameron: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what percentage of graduates on primary school PGCE courses in 2002–03 have secured full-time permanent employment; and how many full-time vacancies for qualified teachers there are.

David Miliband: Figures on the destinations of teachers who are due to complete Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE) courses in 2002/03 are not yet available. The most recent data available show that of those who completed primary PGCEs in the 1999/2000 academic year, around 80 per cent. were in any service in England in March 2001.
	The total number of vacancies in maintained nursery and primary schools in England fell from 1,800 in January 2002 (a vacancy rate of 1 per cent.) to 1,100 in January 2003 (a vacancy rate of 0.6 per cent.) .

Graduate Teachers

Cheryl Gillan: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what percentage of graduates on primary school PGCE courses in 2002–03 have secured full time permanent employment; and how many full time vacancies for qualified teachers there are in Chesham and Amersham.

David Miliband: Figures on the destinations of teachers who are due to complete Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE) courses in 2002–03 are not yet available. The most recent data available is for those who completed primary PGCE courses in calendar year 2000 where around 80 per cent were in service in England in any sector as at March 2001.
	Vacancy information is not available at constituency level. The most recent vacancy data available for Buckinghamshire LEA is for January 2002, which show that there were 53 vacancies in the maintained schools sector (a vacancy rate of 1.6 per cent).
	The total number of vacancies in the maintained schools sector in England fell from 4,540 in January 2002 (a vacancy rate of 1.2 per cent) to 3,400 in January 2003 (a vacancy rate of 0.9 per cent).

Higher Education

Tim Boswell: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what action he is taking to assess the (a) compliance costs and (b) regulatory impact of the White Paper, "The Future of Higher Education" on higher education institutions; and if he will (i) publish such assessments and (ii) subject them to external audit.

Alan Johnson: Officials in my Department are currently developing a Regulatory Impact Assessment, which will consider the compliance costs and the impact of the proposals in the higher education White Paper on higher education institutions.
	The Regulatory Impact Assessment will be published on our website in the summer.
	From this year the National Audit Office has a new role in independently evaluating a selection of RIAs, focusing on the quality of analysis, and the thoroughness with which it has been undertaken. The NAO's findings and recommendations of best practice will be fed back to Departments.

Medical Schools

James Clappison: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what funding was received by each medical school in each year since 1997.

Alan Johnson: With the exception of St. George's hospital medical school, which is funded directly by the Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE), medical schools form part of larger institutions. The majority of the funding the HEFCE pays to institutions is given as a block grant and it is for individual institutions to decide how much funding to pass on to each of its academic departments, including medical schools. There are therefore no figures held centrally about the funding for medical schools, other than St. George's.
	The total recurrent funding for teaching and research paid by the HEFCE to St. George's hospital medical school is shown in the following table.
	
		
			 St. George's hospital medical school £ million 
		
		
			 1997–98 10.2 
			 1998–99 11.4 
			 1999–2000 11.6 
			 2000–01 12.2 
			 2001–02 13.5 
			 2002–03 14.8 
			 2003–04 16.2

Medical Schools

James Clappison: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what assessment he has made of the impact on medical schools of the allocation of funding for places according to (a) the location of applicants' schools and (b) the achievement of three Cs or less at 'A' level; how many such applicants have been admitted to medical school; and how much funding has been distributed to medical schools on this basis.

Alan Johnson: For 2003/04, the Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE) has allocated £265 million to higher education institutions in their block grants to recognise the additional costs of recruiting and supporting students from disadvantaged or non-traditional backgrounds. There are around 4,300 medical students who attract additional funding because they come from low-participation areas, and around 2,900 who attract additional funding either because they are mature students or because their pre-entry qualifications are lower than the equivalent of three Cs at 'A' Level.
	Details of how much of this funding has been spent by institutions on their medical schools is not held centrally, except for St. George's hospital medical school, which will receive £126,704 from the widening access and improving retention pot in 2003/04.

Millennium Volunteer Projects

Cheryl Gillan: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how much funding for Millennium Volunteer projects was allocated to Chesham and Amersham in (a) 2001–02, (b) 2002–03 and (c) 2003–04; and how much funding he proposes to allocate to Chesham and Amersham in 2004–05.

Ivan Lewis: The amount of funding allocated for Millennium Volunteers activity in Chesham and Amersham is not collected. However, funding provided to Wycombe and surrounding areas in 2001–02, 2002–03 and 2003–04 is provided as follows:
	
		£
		
			 2001–02 2002–03 2003–04 
		
		
			  
			  
			 92,000 97,000 97,500 
		
	
	The funding which is to be allocated to each region in 2004–05 will not be finalised until September to allow local discussions on budget allocations and final agreement of the funding formula. When this has been agreed I will arrange for the information to be provided in the House of Commons Library.

Millennium Volunteer Projects

Cheryl Gillan: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what guidance he has issued regarding the distribution of funding for Millennium Volunteer projects in Chesham and Amersham.

Ivan Lewis: The funding which is to be allocated for 2004–05 and 2005–06 to each region will be finalised in September 2003. Government Offices for the Regions will be able to take decisions on how funding for local Millennium Volunteers activity in 2004–05 and 2005–06 is to be distributed within their regions. These decisions will take account of regional needs and will be informed by local discussions with key partners as well as the outcomes of a review of the formula which will determine the allocation of funds to each region. In making their decisions in late Autumn, Government Offices will take into account existing provision, the needs of young people, particularly those at risk, and the coverage across their region.

National Academy for Gifted and Talented Youth

Phil Willis: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many students have accepted places at the National Academy for Gifted and Talented Youth this summer; what the budget is of this programme for 2003; and how much of this budget has come from (a) Government funding, (b) Warwick University, (c) business and (d) donations.

David Miliband: holding answer 4 July 2003
	As of 3 July 2003, 1,490 students had joined the Academy, and 515 of those had been accepted for summer schools. The total budget for the Academy in the current financial year is not yet finalised, in part because the total cost of the 2003 summer schools will depend on the number of participants. The cost for 515 students is £839,000, including £656,000 direct Government funding, £25,000 from the University of Warwick and £35,000 from business donations. The balance is from parents, local education authorities and schools.

Ofsted Inspections

Cheryl Gillan: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many schools in Chesham and Amersham have undergone an Ofsted inspection within the last 12 months.

David Miliband: This is a matter for Ofsted. HM Chief Inspector, David Bell, will write to the hon. Member and place a copy of his letter in the Library.

Performance Tables

Phil Willis: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the cost was of producing and publishing the (a) primary school performance tables of achievements in Key Stage 2 tests, (b) secondary school performance tables of achievements in Key Stage 3 tests, (c) secondary school performance tables of achievements in GCSE examinations and vocational qualifications, (d) school and college performance tables of achievements in A/AS examinations and vocational qualifications, (e) pilot tables testing the calculation and presentation of a Key Stage 2-GCSE/GNVQ value added measure and (f) pilot tables testing the reporting of achievements in all approved qualifications at age 16 in each year from 1997 to 2001.

David Miliband: The cost of producing the school and college performance tables in each year from 1997 to 2001 is as follows:
	
		£ millions
		
			  1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 
		
		
			 Primary school performance tables of achievements in Key Stage 2 tests 0.35 0.57 0.31 0.39 0.99 
			 Secondary school performance tables of achievements in Key Stage 3 tests N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A 
			 Secondary school performance tables of achievements in GCSE examinations and vocational qualifications 1.19 1.12 1.06 0.8 0.98 
			 School and college performance tables of achievements in A/AS examinations and vocational qualifications  
			 Pilot tables testing the calculation and presentation of a Key Stage 2-GCSE/GNVQ value added measure N/A 0.2 N/A 0.19 0.28 
			 Pilot tables testing the reporting of achievements in all approved qualifications at age 16 N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A 
		
	
	Notes:
	1. The figures shown above are programme costs and do not include departmental staff costs.
	2. There were no secondary school performance tables of achievements in key stage tests published between 1997 and 2001.
	3. The tables testing the reporting of achievements in all approved qualifications at age 16 will be piloted for the first time in 2003.
	4. The secondary school performance tables of achievements in GCSE examinations and vocational qualifications and the school and college performance tables of achievements in A/AS examination and vocational qualifications are managed as one exercise so there are no separate costings.
	5. Figures for 1997 do not include key state 2 data collection costs as QCA commenced operations on 1 October 1997 and figures relating to QCA's predecessor (SCAA) are unavailable.
	6. Figures for 1999 and 2000 do not include key stage 2 collection costs as QCA underwent a change in their accounting system and these detailed figures are not available.

School Budgets

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills pursuant to his answer of 23 June 2003, Official Report, columns 550–52W, on school budgets, what budget each school originally set.

David Miliband: My Department does not collect this information from schools or local education authorities. Details of what each school originally budgeted should be available from the Southend-on-Sea LEA.

School Funding

Austin Mitchell: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if he will make a statement on the funding available per pupil to schools in (a) North East Lincolnshire and (b) the South East of England from (i) central and (ii) local government.

David Miliband: The information requested is contained in the following table:
	
		£
		
			  Total fundingper pupil Total funding per pupil (inc pensions transfer) 
		
		
			  (i) Funding from central government 2003–04 
			 North East Lincolnshire 3,560 3,630 
			 South East with London Government Office Regions 3,990 4,070 
			 (ii) Funding from local government 2003–04   
			 NE Lincolnshire 3,980 — 
			 South East with London Government Office Regions 4,400 — 
		
	
	Notes to funding from central government:
	1. Figures reflect education SSA/EFS settlement (all sub-blocks) plus revenue grants in DfES departmental Expenditure Limits relevant to EFS pupils aged 3–19.
	2. Figures exclude EMAs and grants not allocated at LEA level. They also exclude pensions transfer to EFS and LSC for 2003–04 unless otherwise indicated.
	3. The pupil numbers used are those underlying the SSA/EFS settlement calculations plus PLASC 3-year-old FTE maintained pupils and estimated 3–4 year old pupils funded through state support in maintained and other educational institutions where these are not included in the SSA pupil numbers.
	4. 2003–04 figures are forecasts. Figures are in cash terms and rounded to the nearest 10.
	5. Pupil numbers have not been calculated on the same basis as those in the local government table, and therefore the unit funding is not directly comparable.
	Notes to funding from local government:
	1. LEA Budget Figures are provided gross of all income (whether DfES grant, grants from other sources, or other income).
	2. Figures provided are from the 'Total Education Revenue Expenditure' line of LEAs section 52 budget statements table 1, as submitted by the LEA (Line 4 in 1999–2000, Line 5 for 2000–01 to 2002–03 and Line 3 for 2003–04).
	3. Pupil Numbers for 03–04 are maintained pupils from January 03 ASC and are provisional.
	4. Pupil numbers have not been calculated on the same basis as those in the central government list above, and therefore the unit funding is not directly comparable.
	5. Figures are as reported by the LEAs as at 30 June 2003.

School Rolls

Annette Brooke: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what representations he has received on the obligation of community schools to admit up to their published admission number if they have sufficient applications on a set date.

David Miliband: holding answer 7 July 2003
	None. Admission authorities have a statutory duty to comply with parental preference, and if applications are made for available places, they should admit pupils up to the school's published admission number. The local education authority is normally the admission authority for community schools. They should not reserve places, for example, in the expectation that there may be later applications from families moving into the catchment area.

School Rolls

Annette Brooke: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills whether community schools may reserve places at the beginning of an academic year for pupils who move into the defined catchment area after the cut off date for admissions, but before the start of the academic year.

David Miliband: holding answer 7 July 2003
	The School Admissions Code of Practice published in January 2003 specifically advises against reserving places in the expectation that there may be later applications from families moving into the catchment area.
	The Rotherham judgment in 1997 clarified that local education authorities—who decide on admissions to community schools—must not allocate places at their schools to local catchment area parents who have not expressed a preference, over parents living outside the catchment area who have expressed a preference. School places must be allocated to parents who have expressed a preference for them by the application deadline, until all preferences are met or (if the school is oversubscribed) the published admission number is reached.

SCOLA System-built Schools

Desmond Swayne: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what measures he will take to ensure that local authorities with significant numbers of SCOLA system-built schools retain sufficient capital allocations to maintain their fabric and improve facilities under his new proposals.

David Miliband: Overall capital funding to schools and local education authorities in England has increased from less than £700 million in 1996–97 to £3.8 billion in 2003–04. This will increase further to more than £5 billion in 2005–06. The bulk of this funding is allocated by formula, based partly on need identified in local asset management plans (AMPs), and it is for authorities and schools to deploy this funding in line with locally agreed priorities identified in the AMP, including the replacement of system buildings.

Skills Training

Claire Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what action the Government have taken to improve skills in the UK through better education for young people and greater training opportunities for those in the workforce.

Ivan Lewis: The Government have introduced many improvements in recent years to raise the levels of skills in the workforce, including: major school reforms; the expansion of modern apprenticeships; and new initiatives such as Learndirect's network of learning centres, Skills for Life and the Union Learning Fund. On 9 July 2003 we will be publishing a groundbreaking Skills Strategy, which outlines how these developments and other new ones will be used to bring about the further transformation in skills the country needs in order to support a productive, modern economy.

Skills Training

Claire Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what percentage of the workforce in the UK have at least level 2 skills; and how many adults lack basic literacy and numeracy skills.

Alan Johnson: The Labour Force Survey in autumn 2002 showed that 70.9 per cent. of the workforce in the UK were qualified to at least level 2.
	The International Adult Literacy Survey in 1996 estimated that in Great Britain 1 there were 7.9 million adults aged 16–65 who lacked basic literacy skills (below level 1), equivalent to 22 per cent. of the population aged 16–65. The survey also showed that 18.6 million adults lacked basic numeracy skills (below level 1), equivalent to 51 per cent. of the population aged 16–65.
	1 IALS data is not available for the UK

Specialist Schools

Nick Gibb: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills pursuant to his Answer of 23 June, Official Report, column 555W, on specialist schools, if he will list average point scores for each of the four specialisations.

David Miliband: The 2002 results, for those schools which were operational specialist schools 1 as at September 2001, are shown in the following table.
	
		2002 average capped GCSE/GNVQ point score
		
			  
		
		
			  
			 Arts Colleges 34.2 
			 Language Colleges 39.1 
			 Sports Colleges 33.7 
			 Technology Colleges 36.2 
		
	
	(1) Special schools are excluded from these figures.

Student Drop-Outs

Bill Wiggin: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many students in the UK dropped out of university during the academic year 2002/03.

Alan Johnson: The available information on non-completion rates is published annually by the Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE) in "Performance Indicators in Higher Education". The latest figures show that the overall non-completion rate for students starting full-time first degree courses in the UK in 1999/2000 is 17 per cent., which represents around 49,000 students.
	Figures published in 2002 by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) show that the UK as a whole has one of the lowest non-completion rates among OECD countries.

Student Finance

Peter Duncan: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many students paying tuition fees in higher education institutions in England and Wales are resident in Scotland.

Alan Johnson: The latest data shows that, of the 368,100 UK domiciled students on full-time first degree courses in England and Wales in 2001/02 who were paying some or all of their tuition fees, 3,100 had recorded their normal place of residence as Scotland.

Student Finance

Phil Willis: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills whether part-time students studying for their first level 4 qualification will have their fees deferred after 2005–06; and what estimate he has made of the cost of his support for part-time students.

Alan Johnson: holding answer 30 June 2003
	I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Daventry (Mr. Boswell) on our plans for improving the financial support offered to part-time students on 14 April 2003, Official Report, column 563W.

Teacher Vacancies (Somerset)

Adrian Flook: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many vacancies there are for (a) primary and (b) secondary school teachers in the Somerset LEA.

David Miliband: There were two vacancies in maintained nursery and primary schools and eight in maintained secondary schools for full-time qualified teachers in Somerset LEA at January 2002. These are the most recent figures available at local authority level.
	Provisional regional and national figures for January 2003 were published in statistical first release 10/2003 in April 2003. The total number of vacancies in maintained nursery and primary schools in the South West Government Office Region fell from 60 at January 2002 (a vacancy rate of 0.4 per cent., compared to a national average of 1 per cent.) to 40 at January 2003 (a vacancy rate of 0.3 per cent., compared to a national average of 0.6 per cent.). The total number of vacancies in maintained secondary schools in the south-west fell from 100 in January 2002 (a vacancy rate of 0.5 per cent., compared to a national average of 1.3 per cent.) to 70 in January 2003 (a vacancy rate of 0.4 per cent., compared to a national average of 1.1 per cent.).

Teachers' Pay

Phil Willis: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what level of additional funding pressures his Department has identified due to the shortening of the teachers' pay spine.

David Miliband: Shortening the classroom teachers' main scale is estimated to have accounted for 0.4 per cent. of the overall teachers' paybill in England and Wales for 2002–03. It is estimated to account for 0.6 per cent. in 2003–04, was factored in when calculations resources schools needed.

University Bursaries

Phil Willis: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what his Department's estimate is of the income from bursaries that he has calculated with his proposals for university income after 2005/06.

Alan Johnson: holding answer 3 July 2003
	Universities will submit their plans for bursaries and other financial support as part of their access agreement, which the Office for Fair Access must approve in order for them to be able to charge higher fees from 2006.

TRANSPORT

Airport Consultation

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many representations he has received (a) for and (b) against the Cliffe airport option as part of the consultation on the future development of air transport in the south-east.

Andy King: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many responses to "The Future of Air Transport in the UK: Midlands", the Department received (a) in total and (b) during the extended period of consultation, broken down by region.

Tony McNulty: The information requested is not available as we do not, as yet, have numbers of responses broken down by consultation option.
	Many thousands of responses, questionnaires and petitions have been received. We are analysing these carefully. As soon as possible after completing the analysis, we shall set out our decisions in the air transport White Paper.
	In due course all responses will be made available for public inspection, unless consultees have explicitly requested confidentiality.

Airport Consultation

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport in what circumstances he will consider representations on the future of airport capacity in the south-east after the consultation deadline of 30 June 2003.

Tony McNulty: We will consider all communications posted to the freepost consultation address and received by 4 July 2003 as responses to "The Future Development of Air Transport in the United Kingdom: A National Consultation". During the analysis of the thousands of responses received we may wish to approach stakeholders to clarify points in their submissions or to explore issues further.

British Midland (London-Belfast)

Nigel Dodds: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will take steps to increase the number of slots for British Midland between London and Belfast.

Tony McNulty: It is not Government policy to intervene in airlines' commercial decisions with regard to the flight frequencies operated on routes.

Departmental Policies (Battersea)

Martin Linton: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on the impact on the Battersea constituency of his Department's transport policies and actions since 2 May 1997.

Tony McNulty: The Government created the Mayor and Transport for London (TfL) to give a strategic overview of transport in London. The Mayor and TfL are responsible for improvements to services within their control.
	Government funding for transport in London has risen substantially under the 10 Year Plan for transport. For 2003–04 to 2005–06, funding for TfL is some £3.455 billion—averaging £1.15 billion per year, a 50 per cent. increase on the 2001–02 allocation and double the equivalent figure for 2000–01.
	Bus patronage across London has grown by 13 per cent. over the past two years, with demand at its highest level since the 1970's. Between January and March this year, London buses travelled over 103 million kilometres—an 11 per cent. increase on the equivalent period last year.
	Like all Londoners, the constituents of Battersea will benefit from the massive investment under the Tube PPP—£16 billion over 15 years.
	On the railways, the new five-year South Central franchise, operated by Govia, commenced on 25 April 2003. It will deliver over £1 billion of improvements to the busy commuter routes between London and Surrey, Sussex and the south coast, including investment in new rolling stock and improvements in performance.

EWS

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport 
	(1)  what assessment he has made of the level of compensation required by Network Rail to reimburse EWS for the loss of contract after March 2004; [R]
	(2)  what impact the payment of compensation to EWS will have on (a) the Strategic Rail Authority's budget and (b) the Ten Year Transport Plan for rail and road targets; [R]
	(3)  how the move from rail to road by Royal Mail deliveries will affect the targets in the Ten Year Transport Plan; and if he will make a statement; [R]
	(4)  when he was first informed that the Royal Mail would be terminating their contract for deliveries of mail by rail by EWS from April 2004; and what estimate he has made of the impact of transferring the delivery of mail from road to rail on (a) the number of road miles driven, (b) the length of journey times required and (c) the number of lorry journeys made; [R]
	(5)  what representations he has received on the delivering of Royal Mail post by road rather than rail after March 2004; and what estimate he has made of the likely impact of switching Royal Mail deliveries from rail to road.

Tony McNulty: The terms of English Welsh and Scottish Railway's contracts with Royal Mail and Network Rail respectively are a matter for the companies involved. The Department for Transport was informed of Royal Mail's decision to withdraw from its contract with EWS shortly before its announcement. We have subsequently received a number of representations about the decision.
	It is the Government's policy to promote a competitive and efficient distribution industry that supports economic growth while bringing benefits to society and the environment. Mail represents only a small part of total freight moved by rail. Royal Mail says that its new distribution strategy will reduce the total mileage covered by its road fleet and use around 2,000 fewer road vehicles.
	The Strategic Rail Authority published its "Freight Progress Report" in May 2003, explaining achievements to date in facilitating more freight by rail and its plans for achieving the growth envisaged by the Government's Ten Year Plan for Transport. A copy of the report is in the Libraries of the House.

Greenhouse Gases

Jane Griffiths: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has made of the effect on greenhouse gas emissions of predicted growth in air traffic; and if he will make a statement.

Tony McNulty: Detailed information on aviation's environmental impact, with particular reference to greenhouse gas emissions, is contained in the joint Department for Transport/HM Treasury discussion document, "Aviation and the Environment: Using Economic Instruments", published on 14 March 2003.

High-speed Rail Network

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on the timetable for the UK high speed rail network.

Tony McNulty: The Strategic Rail Authority is considering how to take this matter forward and will make a statement in due course.

Hybrid Vehicles

Alan Whitehead: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans he has to expand the scheme of assistance available to purchasers of electric-petrol hybrid vehicles to include those leasing such vehicles.

David Jamieson: The Government recognise that hybrid vehicles can provide useful environmental benefits over conventionally powered vehicles and that hybrid technology may provide a bridge between internal combustion engines and fuel cells.
	The Government support the take-up of hybrid vehicles with PowerShift purchase grants of £1,000. These grants are already available to support the purchase of hybrid vehicles for leasing, as well as to private motorists and business buying for their own use.

Liquefied Petroleum Gas

Colin Challen: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what emission savings he estimates have been achieved through supporting the take-up of liquefied petroleum gas vehicles; and what the cost per tonne of carbon saved from the Government's support of LPG has been.

David Jamieson: Just under 12,000 LPG vehicles have received grant support totalling some £13 million under the Government's PowerShift programme since its inception in 1997.
	These vehicles will deliver lifetime savings of around 111,000 tonnes of CO2, 760 tonnes of NOx and 10 tonnes of particulates 1 . The support for the wider use of LPG vehicles is aimed at securing reductions in all these emissions, to help improve air quality as well as reduce climate change emissions and the cost cannot be properly attributed to the CO2 reductions alone.
	The Government's support for LPG has also been aimed at widening fuel diversity in the transport sector, and has been successful in establishing LPG as an alternative fuel, now available nationwide, reducing consumption of conventional fuels by some 300 million litres, through the total of around 100,000 LPG vehicles—the 12,000 vehicles supported through the PowerShift scheme, and the larger number converted without grant.
	1 Estimates provided by the Energy Saving Trust, which administers the grant programme on behalf of the Department for Transport.

Lost Passports

Simon Hughes: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many passports sent to the DVLA as proof of identity in driving licence applications were reported lost (a) en route to the DVLA and (b) in the offices of the DVLA, in each year since 1997.

David Jamieson: holding answer 8 July 2003
	Identity documents have been sent to DVLA since 1999. More recently, customers are now able to take applications and passports to DVLA's local offices and some 750 Post Offices, enabling them to be examined and returned immediately. 12 per cent. of all applications are made in this way. Drivers are advised that responsibility for the delivery of passports rests with the Royal Mail. No records are kept by DVLA of the non-receipt of passports.

Mobile Phones

Tom Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what estimate the Government have made of (a) how many people might be fined under the proposed offence of using a hand-held mobile phone while driving, (b) how many people would contest the fines and (c) the revenue to be raised through fines in the first year of operation.

David Jamieson: Enforcement is a matter for the police. However, the Department published a partial Regulatory Impact Assessment last year when it consulted on the proposal for a new offence of using a hand-held mobile phone while driving. Based on prosecutions for failure to wear a seat belt, the assessment suggested that perhaps up to 100,000 fixed penalty notices at £30 each might be issued a year. Fines could therefore total £3 million a year, depending on the level of enforcement.

Motorway Accidents

John Barrett: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has made of the impact which raising the motorway speed limit to 80 miles per hour would have on (a) the number of road accidents and (b) the number of deaths caused by road accidents.

David Jamieson: An assessment of the effects of increasing the motorway speed limit to 80 miles per hour was conducted in 2001. Although no estimate of accident or casualty numbers was made, it was concluded that there would be a greater risk of both increasing in those circumstances.

Motorway Accidents

Tom Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment his Department has made of the road safety implications of increasing motorway speed limits.

David Jamieson: The last assessment of the possible effects of raising the motorway speed limit conducted in 2001 concluded that to do so would run too great a risk of increasing accidents and casualties.

Offshore Windfarms

Pete Wishart: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will introduce legislation establish safety zones around UK offshore windfarms and make it a criminal offence for unauthorised vehicles to operate or anchor within them.

David Jamieson: It is intended to introduce legislation which will provide for the designation of safety zones around windfarms located in United Kingdom waters.

Potters Bar Rail Crash

Jonathan Djanogly: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he expects to announce with the Health and Safety Commission a decision on whether to hold a public inquiry into the Potters Bar rail crash.

Tony McNulty: The Health and Safety Commission and the Secretary of State for Transport will need to consider the implications of the Health and Safety Executive's (HSE) Investigation Board report of 29 May 2003, the response of the rail industry to the recommendations and the continuing British Transport Police investigation before deciding whether the issues raised by the Potters Bar derailment would benefit from investigation by a public inquiry.

Potters Bar Rail Crash

Harry Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the procedures for determining (a) the cause of and (b) responsibility for the Potters Bar crash; and if he will make a statement.

Tony McNulty: The Health and Safety Commission, under section 14(2)(a) of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974, required the Health and Safety Executive to undertake an investigation into the Potters Bar derailment under the supervision of an investigation board that included members independent of the Health and Safety Executive. The British Transport Police are separately investigating the derailment.

Rail Freight

Colin Challen: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport 
	(1)  what steps the Government are taking to encourage enterprises to use rail freight;
	(2)  what financial support from the Government is available to assist enterprises shift their goods from road to rail transport.

Tony McNulty: The Strategic Rail Authority's Strategic Plan sets out its plans for achieving the growth envisaged by the Government's 10 Year Transport Plan.
	Grants are available from the Strategic Rail Authority to enable companies to move freight by rail instead of road where this is justified by environmental benefits.

Rail Freight

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has made of the implications for his rail freight targets set out in the Ten Year Plan for Transport of the decision by the Royal Mail to transfer post deliveries from rail to road; and if he will make a statement.

Tony McNulty: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I have given earlier today, ref: (123768).

Railways

John Thurso: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what responsibilities the Strategic Rail Authority has for the number of train movements in Scotland.

Tony McNulty: The Strategic Rail Authority (SRA) has a duty to promote rail use and drive the strategic agenda for developing the national railway infrastructure, of which the Scottish network is an integral part. Although responsibility for infrastructure and safety are reserved to Westminster, the Scottish Executive is responsible for funding and specifying services in Scotland provided under the ScotRail franchise. The Executive, together with the SRA is working towards the re-letting of the current franchise, which ends in 2004.

Railways

Terry Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the total public subsidy has been to the railways in each financial year from 1987–88 to 2002–03.

Tony McNulty: I refer to the answer given to the hon. Member for Lewes (Norman Baker) on 28 April 2003, Official Report, columns 7–10W.

Railways

Cheryl Gillan: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what recent discussions he has had with the Strategic Rail Authority about services between London and Chesham and Amersham; and if he will make a statement.

Tony McNulty: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State has not had any recent discussions with the Strategic Rail Authority about rail services between London and Chesham and Amersham.

Redhill Aerodrome

Peter Ainsworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport pursuant to his answer of 1 July 2003, Official Report, column 192W, on Redhill Aerodrome, if he will list the meetings which have taken place with promoters of proposals for new airport capacity that are alternatives to, or variants of, options set out in the Government's consultation document; when the meetings took place; what their duration was; and what the purpose of each meeting was.

Tony McNulty: holding answer 7 July 2003
	Since publication of "The Future Development of Air Transport in the United Kingdom South East: Second Edition" consultation document in February this year, officials in the Department for Transport have met on seven occasions with the promoters (or their representatives) of four alternative south-0east options, in addition to the two meetings with Redhill Aerodrome Ltd. to which I referred in my answer of 1 July 2003, Official Report, column 192W.

INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Maternal Health

Christine Russell: To ask the Minister of State, Department for International Development what assessment his Department has made in conjunction with the World Health Organisation to determine the most successful and cost-effective safe motherhood package for the developing world.

Hilary Benn: DFID, the World Health Organisation (WHO) and others agree that the most effective strategy to reduce maternal mortality is to ensure that all women are attended at birth by a skilled attendant backed by timely access to emergency obstetric care in the event of a life threatening complication. There is consensus on the content of antenatal, natal and post natal care 'packages' and these are considered cost-effective. The global failure to address the high burden of maternal mortality in developing countries does not reflect a lack of available cost-effective interventions but rather the lack of sustained political commitment to act on the scale necessary.

Burma

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Minister of State, Department for International Development how many Burmese displaced people are (a) in refugee camps in Burma, (b) in refugee camps in neighbouring countries and (c) hiding in the jungle in Burma.

Hilary Benn: There are no refugee camps in Burma. According to the latest available figures released by the UN High Commissioner for Refugees, there are 22,000 Burmese in refugee camps in Bangladesh, and 113,155 in Thailand. There are no accurate figures for the numbers of displaced people hiding in Burma.

Genetically Modified Food

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Minister of State, Department for International Development 
	(1)  if he will make a statement on the Government's policy towards genetically modified food aid by (a) the United Kingdom and (b) other donors;
	(2)  what actions his Department has taken to persuade countries to accept genetically modified food aid from donor countries.

Hilary Benn: DFID's approach to food aid is guided by the following principles:
	Recipient governments should be given adequate information on the type of food they receive and its characteristics, including whether genetically modified;
	Recipient governments should be allowed to decide on its acceptability; and
	Donors should respect the decisions of recipients and accommodate them as far as possible. For example, if milled cereals are preferred rather than whole grain to avoid GM grain being planted as seed then this should be arranged for.
	Statements by the European Community and the World Food Programme embody the same principles.
	DFID has been actively engaged in helping central and southern African governments to understand the issues associated with GM food aid. Staff in our in-country offices have been involved in discussion with the World Food Programme and with governments on the acceptability of grain containing genetically modified material as food aid. The right hon. Member for Birmingham, Ladywood (Clare Short), former Secretary of State for International Development discussed the issues with President Mwanawasa of Zambia and last year DFID organised a fact-finding visit by Zambian scientists to London to meet a range of representatives from Government and civil society.

Internal Policing (Funding)

Jenny Tonge: To ask the Minister of State, Department for International Development if he will list the schemes funded by the Department which have allocated financial resources to internal policing since 1997; and how much has been allocated in each case.

Hilary Benn: DFID have supported police development projects in a number of countries, some of which have contributed to international policing. A list of such projects that have taken place since 1995 has been placed in the Libraries of the House.
	Support has been provided either through stand-alone police development projects, or since 2001, as an element within a Safety Security and Access to Justice programme.
	In the main, technical support is provided. This is provided through seconded officers; visiting consultants —usually retired police officers; in-country technical co-operation officers (TCOs); UK police forces and UK police training establishments. DFID also provide equipment.

New Partnership for Africa's Development

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Minister of State, Department for International Development what steps he is taking to encourage business participation in New Partnership for Africa's Development.

Hilary Benn: DFID is supporting (£117,000) the Commonwealth Business Council (CBC) to develop private sector engagement in the New Partnership for Africa's Development (NEPAD) Programme of Action, and stimulate the increased domestic and foreign investment required for NEPAD to succeed. This work is subsumed under the principal private sector initiative in support of NEPAD—the NEPAD Business Group (NBG).
	NBG comprises leading business organisations that have a broad constituency both inside and outside Africa and are committed to helping the continent realise its full economic potential. NBG includes the following organisations: CBC; Prince of Wales International Business Leaders Forum; British African Business Association; and the International Chamber of Commerce,

Nicaragua

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Minister of State, Department for International Development pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for Bridgend (Mr. Griffiths) of 22 May 2003, Official Report, column 972W, on Central America, when his Department has had discussions with the Government of Nicaragua concerning violence and social exclusion in Central America; what the content of these discussions was, with particular reference to street children; and what the outcome was of these discussions.

Hilary Benn: DFID has been working on the issue of violence in Nicaragua since 2001, supporting the government to develop an integrated program that will address social causes of violence. The Government of Nicaragua recognises that many children are on the street and in street gangs due to poverty, intra-family violence and drug and alcohol abuse. DFID has been supporting the Education Department to develop a system of counsellors for children in schools in order to decrease drop out rates and ensure that the schools are a centre for support for children at risk. DFID has also been supporting the Ministry of the Family in developing community level responses to exclusion, violence and abuse.

Philippines

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Minister of State, Department for International Development which projects his Department supports in the Philippines working with street children.

Hilary Benn: DFID is not directly funding projects with street children in the Philippines. Funds from the Department for developmental and welfare activities in the Philippines are mainly provided as our share of spending by multilateral development agencies and as grants to non-governmental organisations, none of which is earmarked by the Department for particular purposes.

Street Children

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Minister of State, Department for International Development how much aid his Department gives to tackle the problem of street children.

Hilary Benn: We are currently providing financial support of around £900,000 to three UK-based non-governmental organisations that work directly with street children: Childhope, GOAL and World Vision. We also support many more organisations and Governments working to tackle the underlying causes of the poverty, deprivation and social exclusion that force children on to the streets.
	Children live on the streets because of poverty in their communities. Support for children's rights to basic health care, education, nutrition, shelter and protection from violence and abusive labour, along with work on sustainable livelihoods for their parents, is central to our effort towards achieving the Millennium Development Goals.
	The UN Convention on the Right of the Child sets out the inherent rights and entitlements needed to guarantee a child's right to survival, development and an adequate standard of living. Poverty Reduction Strategy processes are particularly important in ensuring that these policies address child poverty and secure child entitlements. The Government believe that we should all work for the earliest possible realisation of these rights for all children. We regularly raise our concerns in bodies such as the UN Commission for Human Rights.

Street Children

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Minister of State, Department for International Development how much aid his Department gives to tackle the problem of street children in Central America; who this money is given to; and what the money is spent on.

Hilary Benn: DFID provides funds to support street children in Honduras (£18,000), Nicaragua (£10,000) and Guatemala (£16,000) under our Small Grants Scheme. In Costa Rica the British embassy has provided equipment to improve the lives of street children (£10,000). The money is given to non-government organisations (NGOs) and local organisations.
	Funds are provided for projects such as the construction of a training centre in order to rescue young people and street children from drugs, alcohol and gangs; programmes to help street children gain vocational qualifications for preparation of integration into society; rehabilitation projects to prevent and combat violence in street children and projects for medical and psychological attention and vocational training.

Street Children

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Minister of State, Department for International Development how many street children there are in Africa; in which African countries they are located; and how many street children there are in each country.

Hilary Benn: We have no specific estimate of their numbers, but street children form a proportion of the 300 million people that live in poverty in Africa (on less than $1 per day, figure relates to 1999). In Africa, we know that some 50 million girls and boys are out of school (UNESCO). Some of these will be street children. Support for children's rights to basic health care, education, nutrition, shelter, and protection from violence and abusive labour, along with work on sustainable livelihoods for their parents, is central to our effort towards achieving the Millennium Development Goals.

Street Children

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Minister of State, Department for International Development how much aid his Department gives to tackle the problem of street children in Africa; who this money is given to; and what the money is spent on.

Hilary Benn: Much of DFID's work in Africa in support of street children is done in the context of broader based activities, and it is therefore not possible to provide specific figures for work in this particular area. Street children in many countries benefit from our support provided through the United Nations Children's Fund, the ILO's International Programme for the Elimination of Child Labour, and Save the Children Fund Programmes. We directly support GOAL in Ethiopia. We are providing £188,000 for their Street Children's Rights Project which aims to rehabilitate 700 severely impoverished street children in Addis Ababa.

Zimbabwe

Bill Wiggin: To ask the Minister of State, Department for International Development what action the Government have taken to respond to the humanitarian aid crisis in Zimbabwe.

Hilary Benn: The British Government has contributed £51 million to help Zimbabwe since the humanitarian crisis began in mid 2001. We have given assistance for feeding programmes, emergency medicines, essential health supplies, and seeds and fertilizer to help promote agricultural recovery.
	The 2003 maize harvest, forecast to be 803,000 tonnes, is up 61 per cent. on last year, but it remains only 41 per cent. of 2001, and will provide less than half of the domestic requirement for 2003–04. The World Food Programme has just launched a new US $308 million regional appeal for southern Africa, of which some 60 per cent. is to meet Zimbabwe's needs.
	DFID is considering WFP's appeal and proposals from non-governmental organisations. DFID will continue to be a significantcontributor to humanitarian relief in Zimbabwe in 2003–04, with ongoing and anticipated new contributions amounting to £35 million in this financial year.

Zimbabwe

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Minister of State, Department for International Development whether UK food aid to Zimbabwe is distributed by Zimbabwean Government organisations.

Hilary Benn: No DFID funded food aid is distributed through Zimbabwean Government organisations. UK official food aid, whether bilateral or through the WFP, is distributed by international or Zimbabwean non-governmental organisations. The NGOs operate according to clear humanitarian principles, backed up by rigorous monitoring and complaints procedures.

SOLICITOR-GENERAL

Media Training

Howard Flight: To ask the Solicitor-General what the cost was to her Department of media and voice training for Ministers and officials in each year since 1997.

Harriet Harman: I and the Attorney-General have received no voice or media training since 1997. In respect of officials in the Departments for which the Attorney-General holds ministerial responsibility, the information requested is not held centrally and can be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

Private Office Costs

Howard Flight: To ask the Solicitor-General what the running costs have been of Ministers' private offices in her Department in each year since 1997.

Harriet Harman: The Legal Secretariat to the Law Officers, which serves both the Attorney-General and me, is a small Department and no separate accounts are kept of the cost of the private office.

Race Relations

Angela Eagle: To ask the Solicitor-General what progress has been made in her Department and non-departmental public bodies on implementing the requirements of the Race Relations (Amendment) Act 2000; and if she will publish the results of the monitoring required by the Act.

Harriet Harman: holding answer 20 June 2003
	The Crown Prosecution Service has made considerable progress on the implementation of their Race Equality Scheme to comply with the Race Relations (Amendment) Act 2000.
	The Crown Prosecution Service Race Equality Scheme was published and launched on May 2002. It is a three-year plan, which applies to all existing and future functions and policies developed by the Crown Prosecution Service. To comply with the Act, and action plans must be reviewed within three years. However, the Crown Prosecution Service has decided to review and publish updates on its Race Equality Scheme progress annually. The first update (Year One—Crown Prosecution Service Update 2002–03) is to be published shortly and will be available on the Crown Prosecution internet and internal intranet.
	An impact assessment form has been produced in consultation with the Commission for Racial Equality. The impact assessment form will be used to evaluate all policies and functions.
	The Equality and Diversity Unit has overseen the day-to-day delivery of the scheme, which has been reviewed on a regular basis by the Senior Managers Advisory Group on Diversity. The Crown Prosecution Service Board has also assessed progress annually.
	Training on the Race Equality Scheme for policy makers and key staff is due to be rolled out in July 2003. This will ensure that staff are aware of the Racial Equality Scheme and their duty under it. Training will also be given in how to complete the impact assessment forms to ensure that all local policies that do not fall under the banner of national policies comply with the Act and the Crown Prosecution Service Racial Equality Scheme.
	In relation to monitoring as stated by the Act, the Crown Prosecution Service is continuing to monitor employment statistics. These are available publicly in the Year One review.
	With regards to the monitoring of prosecutions, the Crown Prosecution Service has made a good start with a view to extending monitoring via the forthcoming new IT system. All national policies and functions have been reviewed and new policies have been written. A Public Policy Statement on Racially and Religiously Aggravated Crime has been written which has set up monitoring systems. It is due to be launched on 14 July 2003 by the Attorney-General.
	The Serious Fraud Office has made significant efforts to meet the requirements of the Race Relations (Amendment) Act 2000, especially in encouraging a positive approach to diversity issues and other employment practices. Its full Race Equality Scheme has yet to be published and it is working with the Commission for Racial Equality to complete this task as fully and as quickly as possible.
	HM Crown Prosecution Service Inspectorate attaches considerable importance to the principles of equality and diversity, both in relation to the inspection process and the management of HM Crown Prosecution Service itself.
	Under the Race Relations (Amendment) Act 2000, the Inspectorate has a general duty to promote race equality and the specific duty to set out and publish a Race Equality Scheme.
	In May 2002, the Inspectorate published its Race Equality Scheme drawn up in accordance with the provisions of the Race Relations (Amendment) Act 2000. The Scheme sets out the steps to be taken to ensure that its functions, policies and employment systems eliminate unlawful racial discrimination, promote equality of opportunity and promote good relations between persons of different racial groups.
	The Scheme also includes the specific duty in relation to employment issues which require HM Crown Prosecution Service Inspectorate to monitor the staff in post and applications for employment, promoting and training by their racial group. In fact, the Inspectorate has gone further by including gender, disability and age.
	The statistics are currently being compiled for the period ending 31 March 2003 and will be available shortly.
	HM Crown Prosecution Service has worked closely with the Commission for Racial Equality and other inspectorates in developing an inspection framework to underpin consistent and effective scrutiny of how inspected bodies are discharging their statutory functions under the Race Relations (Amendment) Act 2000. It has been incorporated with appropriate adaptations into the HM Crown Prosecution Service Inspectorate methodology.
	The Treasury Solicitor's Department, including the Legal Secretariat to the Law Officers, published its Scheme to Promote Racial Equality in May 2002, in accordance with the requirements of the Race Relations (Amendment) Act 2000. The Scheme is overseen by the Department's Diversity Group, which ensures equal opportunities good practice is upheld and monitored in the Agency, and which is currently in the process of carrying out a review of the Scheme one year after its launch, including employment targets.
	As a result of the Scheme so far, training in telephone technique has been undertaken by Bona Vacantia Division, to ensure race equality in dealing with public callers, some of whom do not speak English as a first language or understand English law or customs. The Diversity Group has also overseen an audit of external administrative recruitment since 2001 and made recommendations on monitoring. Details of employment monitoring will be published shortly, and thereafter each April and October.

DEFENCE

Afghanistan

Bill Wiggin: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he has to withdraw troops from Afghanistan.

Adam Ingram: We shall continue to retain United Kingdom troops in Afghanistan at appropriate levels while the situation warrants it.

Armed Forces (Maintenance Payments)

Diana Organ: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence for what reasons the army is not required to comply with (a) deductions from earnings requests and (b) maintenance payment requests from the Child Support Agency; and for what reasons the Child Support Agency cannot make deductions from earnings orders against army personnel.

Ivor Caplin: The Ministry of Defence complies with Deduction from Earnings Requests in full, in all but exceptional cases. Such exceptions might include an appeal by the individual on the grounds of a change in circumstances, or where the deduction would breach the regulations on minimum rates of pay. Minimum rates of pay were introduced around 50 years ago as a result of experience in the second world war to ensure that Service families could meet essential financial commitments. The Army regulations allow for up to 50 per cent. deductions from pay, where there are no other children or dependants. However, in circumstances where the soldier is legally married and living with his or her spouse, or where the soldier is widowed, divorced or separated and has care of the children, or the soldier does not have care of the children but is providing voluntary financial support, there is a limit of 25 per cent. deduction on pay. The amounts deducted are paid to the Child Support Agency for maintenance payments to be made.
	Service personnel were excluded from the law relating to deduction of earnings orders when the Child Support (Collection and Enforcement) Regulations 1992 were drawn up as there was already provision for deductions from Service pay under Armed Forces' legislation.

Armed Forces (Maintenance Payments)

Diana Organ: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many deductions from earnings requests to the army for child maintenance payments were not agreed to in each year since 2001.

Ivor Caplin: This information is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate costs.

Armed Forces (Maintenance Payments)

Diana Organ: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he has to change the requirements on armed forces personnel in respect of (a) child maintenance payments and (b) Child Support Agency orders; and if he will make a statement.

Ivor Caplin: The armed forces has a good record in meeting its obligations in recovering child support maintenance payments. I therefore have no plans to propose any changes.

Challenger 2 Tank

Bernard Jenkin: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many Challenger 2 tanks are operated by each armoured regiment; and what reserve is held (a) centrally and (b) by regiments.

Adam Ingram: Each armoured regiment is organised around an establishment of 58 Challenger II Main Battle Tanks. Each regiment, however, normally holds 44 tanks. This allows the balance of the fleet to be distributed for other tasks such as: individual training, collective training, repair programmes, trials work, etc. Nonetheless, regiments committed to operations or undertaking training may be augmented up to the full establishment of 58 tanks, dependent on the situation, or the nature of the training/operation being undertaken.
	In addition, some tanks are held at the Defence Supply and Distribution Agency depot at Ashchurch. The number held there on any one day will depend on ho
	many are required by the armoured regiments and training establishments, or are in the repair pool. On 4 July 2003, there were 17 tanks held at Ashchurch.

Combat Aircraft

Jimmy Wray: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what RAF and RN combat aircraft have a primary (a) reconnaissance, (b) air defence and (c) ground attack role; and what proportion of these aircraft can carry smart armaments.

Adam Ingram: The Tornado GR4/GR4A, Sea Harrier FA2, Harrier GR7, and Jaguar aircraft are all capable of conducting a reconnaissance role.
	The Tornado F3 and Sea Harrier FA2 aircraft have a primary air defence role.
	The Tornado GR4, Harrier GR7 and Jaguar aircraft have a primary ground attack role.
	All combat aircraft types are capable of carrying smart armaments although this capability may not be fitted to each individual aircraft within the fleet.

Congo

Jimmy Wray: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many British troops have been deployed to the Congo; what their role is; and if he will make a statement on the progress of joint operations with other allied troops.

Adam Ingram: As at 7 July, 88 United Kingdom troops were deployed as part of the EU-led multinational force in the Democratic Republic of Congo (Operation ARTEMIS). The majority of these troops are Royal Engineers whose role is to improve the quality and size of Bunia airport, which is of vital importance given the remoteness of the region. The remainder are staff officers and support personnel. A further six UK military personnel are deployed as part of the UN Mission (MONUC), based in Kinshasa.
	Operations by the EU-led force have gone well and Bunia is reported as calm, although the situation remains volatile.

Congo

Jimmy Wray: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he has to increase troop levels in the Congo; who is in overall command of allied troops in the region; and when the troops currently deployed were last involved in active operations.

Adam Ingram: There are currently no plans to increase the number of United Kingdom troops deployed either as part of the EU-led multinational force in the Congo (Operation ARTEMIS) or as part of the UN mission (MONUC), although the situation remains under constant review.
	Troops deployed on Op ARTEMIS are under EU control, and General Neveux has been appointed by EU member nations as the Operational Commander. Troops deployed on MONUC are under UN control and General Diallo has been appointed by the UN as Force Commander. As with all multinational operations, although the UK has delegated some elements of command and control to the EU and UN respectively, Full Command of any UK military personnel is retained in the UK.
	The majority of the UK troops deployed on Op ARTEMIS are Royal Engineers from 42 Field Squadron of 28 Engineer regiment, who handed over from their previous tour of operation in Northern Ireland on 31 January 2003.

D-Day Veterans

Stephen McCabe: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what representations he has received on recognition for Midlands veterans at the 60th anniversary of the D-Day landings; and when he will announce the programme of commemoration events.

Ivor Caplin: holding answer 7 July 2003
	No such representations have been received. However I am aware of local media interest in this matter. Her Majesty's Government is represented on the French Government's Normandie Memorie 60eme Anniversaire Committee which is developing a full programme of commemorative events in France from 4 June 2004 onwards. I refer my hon. Friend to my letter of 7 July 2003, a copy of which has been placed in the Library of the House.

D-Day Veterans

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assistance his Department is providing to the Normandy Veterans Association to (a) organise and (b) implement the commemoration events for the 60th anniversary of D-Day.

Ivor Caplin: The Government's position on this matter is outlined in my letter of 7 July 2003. I refer the hon. Member to the copy of the letter placed in the Library of the House.

Depleted Uranium

Barry Gardiner: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence 
	(1)  pursuant to his answer of 12 May 2003, Official Report, column 38W, on depleted uranium, when his Department plans to publish information on the depleted uranium it has fired in its area of operation in Iraq;
	(2)  pursuant to his answer of 12 May 2003, Official Report, column 38W, on depleted uranium, if his Department will work with the Department of Defence in the United States of America to draw up a combined report on depleted uranium that has been fired by allied forces in Iraq.

Ivor Caplin: The Ministry of Defence agrees that information should be released on how much depleted uranium has been used in the Iraq conflict and where. NATO provided information following use of DU in the Balkans conflict and the United Kingdom will do so for DU it has fired in its area of operations in Iraq. We have released information on the weight of DU expended in theatre, and are releasing information on the geographical locations of firing sites to UNEP.
	I refer my hon. Friend to the answer my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Defence gave on 4 June 2003, Official Report, column 445W, to the hon. Member for Islington, North (Jeremy Corbyn). We are currently in discussion with the United States about their use of DU munitions.

Iraq

Mohammad Sarwar: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on (a) Territorial Army personnel in Iraq and (b) the expected numbers stationed there over the next six months.

Ivor Caplin: Members of the Territorial Army (TA) have been deployed to the Gulf either as members of formed TA units and sub units or as Individual Reinforcements augmenting Regular Army units. Working alongside their Regular counterparts, they played a full and vital role during the war in Combat, Combat Support and Combat Service Support roles. In all, the Reserves (TA and Regular Reserves) formed just over 10 per cent. of the deployed Land element of our forces; a figure which is in keeping with the level of TA and Reserve participation in other Operations such as Kosovo, Bosnia and Afghanistan.
	Of the first tranche of TA mobilised for service relating to the Gulf conflict, some 1,825 members have been demobilised so far. Approximately 1,700 remain in the Gulf and the vast majority of these will be returning home shortly. They will be replaced in the coming weeks by a second tranche of approximately 2,050 TA personnel who will have, on average, a deployment period in theatre of six months.

Military Operations (Cost)

Elfyn Llwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the average monthly cost of military operations in (a) Afghanistan and (b) Iraq have been in the last three months.

Adam Ingram: The Department identifies the costs of operations in terms of the net additional costs it has incurred. The costs, which the Department would have incurred had the operation not been undertaken—expenditure on wages and salaries or on conducting training exercises for example—are deducted from the total costs of the operation.
	I regret the information cannot be provided in precisely the format requested. Costs are not incurred on a regular monthly basis and to provide such an average would be misleading.
	Actual and provisional outturn for operations in Afghanistan are as follows:
	
		£ million
		
			  Operating costs(2) Expenditure on capital items(3) 
		
		
			 2001–02 188 34 
			 2002–03 (provisional outturn) 236 75 
		
	
	(2) Defined as Resource DEL in Main Supply Estimates.
	(3) Defined as Capital DEL in Main Supply Estimates.
	Full definitions of Resource and Capital DEL are included in the Glossary of Terms in Public Expenditure Statistical Analysis 2002–03, published by HM Treasury.
	On Iraq, calculating all the costs of military action will take some time to determine since it will include the cost of ammunition, bombs and guided weapons consumed in excess of peacetime levels and the cost of equipment destroyed and damaged. These sums are likely to be significant. However, excluding costs of war-fighting (essentially those described above), the latest estimate is that the net additional cost of operations in Iraq for 2002–03 will not exceed £1 billion; the amount set aside at Spring Supplementary Estimates 2002–03.

MOD Refurbishment

Adrian Sanders: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what refurbishment works have been undertaken during the last six years at the Ministry of Defence buildings in Whitehall; and if he will list the (a) works and (b) contractors.

Ivor Caplin: The Ministry of Defence Main Building in Whitehall is being redeveloped under the Private Finance Initiative. The contract with Modus plc which was placed in May 2000 covers not just the modernisation of Main Building and support services for 30 years but also works to the decant buildings needed to accommodate staff while the redevelopment is under way. Those in the Whitehall area are the Old War Office in Whitehall and Metropole building and Northumberland House in Northumberland Avenue. Modus' construction subcontractor, Skanska Whitehall is responsible for the work.
	During 2000 a partial refurbishment of 3–5 Great Scotland Yard was carried out as a result of emergency structural propping works. The contractor was Willmott Dixon.

MOD Refurbishment

Adrian Sanders: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what reporting procedures were in place during refurbishment works on Ministry of Defence buildings in Whitehall for contractors coming across surveillance devices.

Ivor Caplin: The Contract Schedule states that throughout the contract period, the Private Finance Initiative Contractor will be responsible for compliance with the Defence Manual of Security, which lays down the action to be taken on the discovery of surveillance devices.

Northern Ireland

Peter Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the army bases operational in Northern Ireland, broken down by council area.

Adam Ingram: The armed forces currently operate from 55 bases in Northern Ireland which are either solely military sites or joint bases with the Police Service of Northern Ireland. Excluded from this list are those premises solely occupied by Reserve Forces and Cadets as well as Regimental Museums. The operational bases are listed by council area as follows:
	Antrim Borough Council
	Aldergrove
	Masserene Barracks, Antrim
	Armagh City and District Council
	Dramadd Barracks, Armagh
	PSNI Keady
	PSNI Middletown
	Ballymena Borough Council
	St. Patrick's Barracks, Ballymena
	Banbridge District Council
	PSNI Rathfriland
	Belfast City Council
	Divis Key Point
	Duke of Connaughts Unit
	Girdwood Park Army Base
	Moscow Camp
	Musgrave Park Hospital Echelon
	PSNI Grosvenor Road
	PSNI New Barnsley
	PSNI Old Park
	PSNI Woodbourne
	Divis Tower Observation Post
	Castlereagh Borough Council
	PSNI Castlereagh
	PSNI Ladas Drive Coleraine Borough Council
	Laurel Hill House, Coleraine Craigavon Borough Council
	Mahon Barracks, Portadown Derry City Council
	Clooney Base, Londonderry
	Ebrington Barracks, Londonderry
	Masonic Base, Londonderry
	PSNI Rosemount Down District Council
	Abercom Barracks, Ballykinlar
	Ballykinlar Training Base Dungannon and South Tyrone Borough Council
	Clougher Army Base
	Killymeal House, Dungannon
	Aughnacloy Base Fermanagh District Council
	Grosvenor Barracks, Enniskillen
	PSNI Beleek
	PSNI Belcoo
	PSNI Kinawley
	PSNI Lisnaskea
	PSNI Newtownbutler
	PSNI Rosslea Limavady Borough Council
	Magilligan Training Camp
	Shackleton Barracks, Ballykelly Lisburn City Council
	Thiepval Barracks, Lisburn Newry and Mourne District Council
	Bessbrook Mill
	PSNI Crossmaglen
	PSNI Forkhill
	PSNI Newtownhamilton
	R12 Observation Site
	R13a Observation Site
	R21 Observation Site
	G10 Observation Site
	G20 Observation Site
	G40 Observation Site North Down Borough Council
	Kinnegar, Holywood
	Palace Barracks, Holywood Omagh District Council
	Lisanelly Barracks, Omagh
	St. Lucia Barracks, Omagh Strabane District Council
	PSNI Strabane

Pensions Appeal (Legal Costs)

Kevin McNamara: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the Department's legal costs have been in the case of Mr. Shaun Rusling; if he will make a statement on the reasons advanced for appealing the findings of the Pension Appeals Tribunal; and what his policy is subsequent to the ruling of the High Court on 13 June.

Ivor Caplin: I refer my hon. Friend to the answers I gave on 20 June 2003, Official Report, column 514W, and on 23 June 2003, Official Report, column 687. The Pensions Appeal Tribunal decision on the case of Mr. Rusling found that the Ministry of Defence had failed to show beyond reasonable doubt that disablement due to "Gulf War Syndrome" was not attributable to his Service in the armed forces. We appealed this decision because the overwhelming consensus of medical and scientific opinion is that the symptoms reported by some Gulf veterans do not constitute a discrete disorder. It is too early to say what the cost of contesting the case has been.

Premature Voluntary Release

Bernard Jenkin: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many applications for Premature Voluntary Release have been received by each service since 1 January.

Ivor Caplin: I refer the hon. Member to TSP5 publication "UK Regular Forces Premature Voluntary Release", a copy of which is held in the Library of the House.

Regulatory Impact Assessments

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the Department's Regulatory Impact Assessment procedure; and how many RIAs have been reviewed in respect of the Department in the last year.

Ivor Caplin: A Regulatory Impact Assessment (RIA) must be completed for all policy proposals that have a potential impact on businesses, charities or the voluntary sector. It includes details of arrangements for monitoring and evaluating policy proposals and their impact.
	Most Ministry of Defence legislation relates to the armed forces and it is not necessary for a RIA to be conducted. Therefore, none was undertaken by the Department during the course of the last year.

Royal Navy

Jimmy Wray: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence which Royal Navy vessels were involved in the (a) Iraq, (b) Afghanistan, (c) Saif Sareea II, (d) Sierra Leone and (e) Kosovo operations; and what primary role they played.

Adam Ingram: The following Royal Navy vessels took part in Op Telic in Iraq:
	HMS Ark Royal, in her Landing Platform Helicopter (LPH) role and HMS Ocean in her role as amphibious carrier and Landing Platform Helicopter.
	HMS Edinburgh, Liverpool and York carried out their role as destroyers, providing air defence for the task group.
	HMS Marlborough, Chatham and Richmond carried out the role of close range protection for the carriers and other high value units.
	HMS Blyth, Bangor, Brocklesby, Sandown, Grimsby, Ledbury, Ramsey and Shoreham were deployed on mine clearance tasks.
	HMS Roebuck was deployed in her coastal survey role.
	HMS Splendid and Turbulent provided strike weapon platform capability.
	RFA's Sir Percival , Sir Tristram, Sir Galahad and Sir Bedivere were deployed in the Landing Ship Logistic role;
	RFA's Grey Rover, Bayleaf, Brambleleaf and Orangeleaf were deployed as Fleet tankers.
	RFA Fort Rosalie, Fort Austin and Fort Victoria were deployed as Fleet Replenishment ships, providing stores for the task group.
	RFA Argus was deployed in her role as Primary Casualty Receiving Facility.
	RFA Diligence was deployed as Forward Repair Ship.
	RFA Sea Crusader was used in the strategic sea lift role.
	Afghanistan—Op Oracle
	HMS Illustrious provided air projection and a command platform.
	HMS York, HMS Southampton and HMS Cornwall provided air protection.
	RFA Fort Rosalie, RFA Fort Austin, RFA Fort Victoria, RFA Fort George, RFA Sir Tristram, RFA Sir Galahad, RFA Sir Bedivere and RFA Sir Percival provided support, fuel and stores.
	RFA Diligence was deployed as forward repair vessel.
	Saif Sareea II
	HMS Illustrious provided air projection and a command platform.
	HMS Ocean deployed as Landing Platform Helicopter.
	HMS Fearless deployed as Landing Platform Dock and provided an amphibious capability.
	HMS Nottingham and HMS Southampton deployed in an AAW capacity, providing air defence.
	HMS Monmouth, HMS Marlborough, HMS Cornwall acted as escorts.
	HMS Quorn, Cattistock, HMS Walney, HMS Inverness, and HMS Roebuck worked as survey ships and also Mine Operations.
	RFA Sir Tristram, RFA Sir Galahad, RFA Sir Bedivere, RFA Sir Percival, RFA Diligence, RFA Fort Rosalie, RFA Fort Austin and RFA Fort Victoria provided fuel, logistic support, stores, and land force transportation capabilities and a forward repair facility.
	Sierra Leone—Op Palliser
	HMS Illustrious provided air projection and a command platform.
	HMS Ocean provided a helicopter platform.
	HMS Chatham and HMS Argyll provided force protection and acted as escorts.
	RFA Fort Austin, RFA Fort George, RFA Brambleleaf provided tanker support.
	RFA Sir Bedivere and RFA Sir Geraint provided support, fuel and logistics.
	Kosovo—Op Allied Force
	HMS Splendid and HMS Turbulent carried out submarine tasking.
	HMS Invincible was deployed as CVS.
	HMS Newcastle and HMS Iron Duke were responsible for anti-air warfare (AAW).
	HMS Somerset, HMS Grafton, HMS Norfolk and HMS Coventry carried out patrols and Maritime Interdiction Operations (MIOPs).
	HMS Atherstone, HMS Sandown and HMS Bulldog carried out surveys and mine clearance patrols.
	RFA Argus acted as an aviation platform and Primary Casualty Receiving Facility.
	RFA Bayleaf deployed as Fleet tanker.
	RFA Fort Austin, RFA Sea Centurion, RFA Sea Crusader and RFA Sir Geraint provided stores and logistic support.

Royal Navy

Jimmy Wray: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence which Royal Navy vessels have been decommissioned since 2000; and what measures are in place to ensure there is no loss in level of capabilities as a result.

Adam Ingram: The following Royal Navy vessels have been decommissioned since 2000:
	HMS Intrepid
	HMS Fearless
	HMS Brave
	HMS Coventry
	HMS Sheffield
	HMS Orwell
	HMS Herald
	HMS Bulldog
	HMS Beagle
	HMS Shetland
	HMS Alderney
	HMS Cromer
	HMS Bicester
	HMS Berkeley
	RFA Olna
	RFA Olwen
	The Department regularly reviews the Defence programme to ensure that the Royal Navy remains a highly capable and potent force with the optimum level of capability to meet requirements.

Royal Navy

Jimmy Wray: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what upgrades have been made to Royal Navy (a) surface ships and (b) submarines since 2000; and how these have improved their capability.

Adam Ingram: Numerous upgrades have been made to ships and submarines since 2000 to ensure that the Royal Navy has the optimum level of capability to meet requirements. For submarines I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave on 13 May 2003, Official Report, column 157W. For ships, upgrades have included major improvements to command and communication systems, ventilation and air conditioning systems, diver compression chambers, flight deck modifications and electronic warfare systems.

Service Pensions

Gerald Howarth: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the pension trough affecting personnel retiring between 1976 and 1978; and what estimate his Department has made of the cost of correcting the anomaly.

Ivor Caplin: The Government are aware of the strength of feeling among ex-Service personnel and other public servants whose pensions have been affected by periods of pay restraint. Successive Governments have concluded that it would not be affordable to increase the pensions of those affected to compensate for the effect of a pensions "trough". However, in view of the strength of concern on this issue and the fact that only indicative figures are available on the cost of remedying the position, my predecessor agreed that he would put work in hand to provide a more exact estimate of the cost of remedying the trough that occurred between 1976 and 1978. I can confirm that this work is under way. I expect this work to be completed before the summer recess and I will write to the hon. Member once the conclusions are available.

Service Personnel (Retention)

Brian Jenkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence 
	(1)  what criteria are used by the Department for ascertaining the level of personnel retention within the armed forces;
	(2)  what the (a) level set for retention of personnel within the three armed forces and (b) actual level of retention within the three armed forces was in the last five years.

Adam Ingram: The Services have detailed targets for manning levels and these reflect expectations of outflow (when personnel complete their engagements or leave for personal reasons) and recruitment plans. One way of measuring retention is by monitoring historical trends in Premature Voluntary Release (PVR) rates as a percentage of those leaving. Details of actual PVR rates over the last five years by individual Service are in the table.
	
		PVR exit rates for UK regular forces (as percentage)
		
			  Officers Other ranks 
			  Total Navy Army RAF Total Navy Army RAF 
		
		
			 2002–03 2.8 2.5 3.4 2.1 5.0 5.3 5.5 3.9 
			 2001–02 3.6 3.4 4.2 2.9 5.7 6.4 6.0 4.4 
			 2000–01 3.2 2.6 4.1 2.5 5.3 4.2 6.4 4.2 
			 1999–2000 3.1 3.6 3.5 2.2 5.6 5.2 6.4 4.2 
			 1998–99 3.1 2.4 4.0 2.5 5.9 5.2 7.1 4.1 
		
	
	Note:
	For the purpose of this table, PVR is defined as all exits from trained personnel which are generated by the individual except "as of right", "compassion", "redundancy" and "services no longer required". Those leaving at the end of their engagement from trained or commission are therefore excluded, but all notice givers are included.
	We also monitor manning shortfall areas, and if shortages or imbalances are detected in a specific area, we look to address this by using targeted retention measures. There are a wide range of initiatives in hand across all three Services aimed at improving retention and seeking to increase the return of Service obtained from individuals.

Sunset Clauses

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make it his policy to include a sunset clause in all new legislation promoted by his Department unless a specific case can be made to exclude a sunset clause.

Ivor Caplin: Revised Regulatory Impact Assessment guidance, "Better Policy Making: A Guide to Regulatory Impact Assessment", was published on 28 January 2003. It advises policy officials to consider time limiting or sunsetting at an early stage of policy development and gives specific examples of where sunsetting may be appropriate.
	Most Ministry of Defence legislation relates to the armed forces, and it would be unusual for sunset clauses to be appropriate. Nevertheless, the periodic Armed Forces Acts, which extend the life of the Army and Air Force Acts 1955 and the Naval Discipline Act 1957, do so for only five years at a time and, thus, may be regarded as having a form of inbuilt sunsetting. However, where new primary or delegated legislation that may have an effect on business is introduced, the MOD will consider whether a sunset clause or other arrangements are appropriate on a case by case basis.

LEADER OF THE HOUSE

Ministerial Travel

Bob Russell: To ask the Leader of the House when he last used the London Underground in connection with his official duties.

Peter Hain: Since my appointment as Leader of the House on June 12, I have not made any use of the London Underground as my office in 2 Carlton Gardens is within easy reach of the House of Commons.

Staff

Tim Yeo: To ask the Leader of the House how many staff his office had in each year since 1997; and what they cost in each year.

Peter Hain: The number of staff employed in the Office of the Leader and Deputy Leader of the House of Commons, where available, is as follows:
	
		
			 From Number of staff 
		
		
			 July 1998 8 
			 November 1999 10 
			 August 2000 11 
			 January 2002 12 
		
	
	The post of Deputy Leader of the House of Commons was created in July 1999.
	Full costs for 2002–03, including Ministerial and Special Adviser salaries were £670,971.10.
	Additional information can be provided only at disproportionate cost.

TREASURY

Appointments

Mark Oaten: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list the people appointed to ad hoc posts within his Department bearing the titles of advocate, Tsar, adviser, champion and comparable titles since May 1997; what their job title is or was; what their role is or was; whether they were or are being paid; what the total cost of each such person was in each financial year, including expenses and benefits; what the expected cost of each such person is in 2003–04; to whom they are accountable; and if he will make a statement.

John Healey: The following special adviser appointments have been made:
	Ed Balls
	Ian Austin
	Ed Miliband
	Spencer Livermore
	Nicola Murphy
	Charlie Whelan 1
	Andrew Maugham 1
	Paul Andrew 1
	1 No longer in post.
	In addition, the Chancellor has appointed Chris Wales, Shriti Vadera, Paul Gregg, Maeve Sherlock and Stewart Wood to the Council of Economic Advisers.
	Sue Nye has been appointed as an unpaid adviser to the Chancellor of the Exchequer.
	Under Exemption 12 of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information, details of individual salaries are not disclosed in order to protect the privacy of the individuals concerned.

Burma

Joan Ruddock: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer which companies import goods made in Burma into the UK.

John Healey: HM Customs and Excise is responsible for collecting and recording statistics on the movement of goods with other countries. Information on individual importers and consignments is recorded from customs documents submitted at import. For reasons of commercial confidentiality, information relating to individual importers cannot be disclosed. Exemption 13 of the Open Government Code applies.

European Economic Convergence

Mark Prisk: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the required increase in housing supply in order to balance supply and demand; what discussions he has had with the Deputy Prime Minister on this subject; and whether the estimates he has made of the required increase in housing supply take into account the protection of (a) rural areas, (b) the countryside and (c) greenbelt land.

John Healey: The Government are taking forward the existing reviews of regional plans covering the high-demand growth areas in the south east as the means for realising the additional growth potential of 200,000 homes identified in my right hon. Friend the Deputy Prime Minister's statement of 5 February 2003, Official Report, column 273, on "Sustainable Communities: Building for the Future". Regional Planning Bodies will be required to consider the case for additional growth in the longer term when preparing new regional spatial strategies, and to take account of volatility in the housing market and the need to promote macro-economic stability as part of delivering sustainable development.

Mental Health

Paul Marsden: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  how many of his staff have taken sick leave due to mental health problems in the last year;
	(2)  how many sick days were lost over the last year by his Department through staff mental health problems.

John Healey: Cabinet Office publishes an annual report "Analysis of Sickness Absence in the Civil Service". The statistics show reasons for absence including mental disorders. The most recently published figures for the calendar year 2001 were announced by Ministerial Statement on 19 December 2002, and copies placed in the Library of the House. The sickness absence figures for 2002 will be announced in due course.
	The Chancellor's Departments are committed to managing sickness absence effectively, and in meeting the 2003 target for reduced sickness absence as set out in the Service Delivery Agreements (SDA).

Private Office Costs

Howard Flight: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the running costs of Ministers' private offices have been in his Department in each year since 1997.

John Healey: I refer to the answer the Financial Secretary gave to the hon Member for Buckingham (Mr. Bercow) on 29 April 2003, Official Report, column 305W.

Smuggling

Tom Cox: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the estimated cost to public finances of the smuggling of (a) beer, (b) spirits and (c) cigarettes into the United Kingdom was in each of the last three years.

John Healey: I refer my hon. Friend to Table 3.17 of the Customs and Excise paper "Measuring Indirect Tax Losses" published in November 2002, a copy of which is available in the Library of the House.

VAT Rates

Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what discussions he intends to have with (a) the European Commission and (b) ECOFIN concerning changes to European law to permit more substantial VAT rates.

John Healey: The current provisions in EC Directives regarding the level of VAT standard rates which may be set in individual member states are discussed in the Treasury publication 'Fiscal Stabilisation and EMU', published on 9 June, a copy of which is available in the Library of the House. There are no current plans to amend these provisions, which are next due to be reviewed in 2005–06.

World Bank

David Cameron: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what steps he has taken to ensure that developing countries have increased influence within the World Bank; and if he will make a statement.

John Healey: The UK has been taking a lead role in promoting measures to increase the voice of developing countries in the World Bank and the IMF. The Department for International Development (DfID) has lead responsibility for issues related to the World Bank, and the Treasury has been working closely with it on this issue. In the 2000 DfID White Paper, the Government committed to
	"work with others to build a stronger, more open and accountable international system, in which poor people and countries have a more effective voice."
	"Voice" is not only an important step in our partnership with developing and transition countries, but also makes a strong contribution to increasing the effectiveness of the development effort.
	The UK played a key role in gaining agreement in the Board of the World Bank to provide additional staff to increase the capacity of the Sub-Saharan African representatives at the World Bank and the IMF, and is supporting further capacity-building proposals currently under discussion.
	The Government also believe that further action is necessary, both at the institutional level and at the level of the Executive Board, and we are discussing proposals in these areas with our international partners in the World Bank and IMF.

CULTURE MEDIA AND SPORT

Clarence House

Paul Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport who owns Clarence House; how much public money has been spent on the recent renovation; and for what reasons public money was used for this renovation.

Richard Caborn: Clarence House, as part of St. James's Palace, is held by the Queen as Sovereign on behalf of the nation, not as a private individual. It has always been included as part of the Occupied Royal Palaces' Estate.
	A total of £3.9 million, comprising works and fees, but excluding VAT, is being spent on the redecoration and refurbishment of Clarence House from the existing public funding made available every year through grant in aid for the maintenance of the Occupied Royal Palaces.
	As Heir to Throne, the Prince of Wales is moving from his present London residence, where the accommodation is very limited, to Clarence House which offers better facilities for him to fulfil his official duties. The Grant-in-aid has been used for the renovation as it pays for the maintenance of the Occupied Royal Palaces in order to enable the Queen and members of the Royal Family to undertake official duties and fulfil their important official role.

Crown Green Bowling

Colin Burgon: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many crown green bowling facilities she estimates are in use in west Yorkshire.

Richard Caborn: According to statistics provided by the Yorkshire Crown Green Bowling Association, there are an estimated 400 crown green bowling greens in use in west Yorkshire.
	There may be a small number of additional facilities registered with the British Parks Crown Green Bowling Association (BPCGBA). The Department has contacted the BPCGBA to request this information, and I will write to my hon. Friend as soon as it is available, placing copies of my letter in the Libraries of both Houses.

Crown Green Bowling

Colin Burgon: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what support Sport England gave to crown green bowling in each of the last three years.

Richard Caborn: Over the last three financial years, Sport England has awarded a total of £657,596 to crown green bowls. In 2000–01, three awards were made totalling £161,247. In 2001–02, seven awards were made totalling £496,349. No awards were made in 2002–03.

Elite Sports Funding

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if she will make a statement on the progress of her Department in implementing the recommendations of the Elite Sports Funding Review Group.

Richard Caborn: holding answer 30 June 2003
	The Elite Sports Funding Review chaired by Dr. Cunningham made over 50 recommendations, the large majority of which are for the Sports Councils and National Governing Bodies of sport to take forward. The Review was discussed at the Sports Cabinet on 31 October 2001, chaired by the Secretary of State. The Cabinet brings together the Sports Ministers and Chairmen of the Sports Councils from each of the Devolved Administrations. At the Cabinet, the Sports Councils accepted and are now implementing the overwhelming majority of the recommendations.
	Following the recent Spending Review a ring fenced allocation of £4.7 million for 2004–05 and 2005–06 has been provided to UK Sport to enable them to take forward some of the outstanding recommendations that involved an increase in expenditure. Some of the recommendations relate to the World Class Plans and cannot be implemented until the current four year plans have been completed. This Department will continue to works with UK Sport, the Devolved Administrations and Sport England to ensure that implementation of the recommendations is effective and continues to remain relevant to the changing environment of high performance sport.

Euro Roadshow

Howard Flight: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if she will list the events she plans to attend as part of the Government's euro roadshow.

Tessa Jowell: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to the right hon. and learned Member for Folkestone and Hythe (Mr. Howard) on 20 June 2003, Official Report, columns 458–59W, by the Economic Secretary to the Treasury, my hon. Friend the Member for Wentworth (John Healey).

Film Industry

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what support she is providing to the British film industry to increase the number of UK productions.

Estelle Morris: DCMS established the UK Film Council in April 2000 as the Government's strategic lead body. The creation of the UK Film Council brought together, for the first time, responsibility for the film industry, film culture and education.
	The UK Film Council uses grant in aid and money from the National Lottery to support film production, as well as film development, training, education and film culture. Film production is also supported by tax relief for British qualifying films under the Finance (No. 2) Act of 1997.

Millennium Commission

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport pursuant to her answer of 12 May 2003, Official Report, column 31W, on the Millennium Commission, 
	(1)  what the estimated final cost of running the Millennium Commission is; and what the estimated final cost of consultants employed by the Commission is;
	(2)  what the final cost of consultants on each of the completed major projects was; and what the estimated final cost of consultants on those projects still under construction is;
	(3)  how much was received in private finance by each major project; and when each payment was received.

Tessa Jowell: I will write to the hon. Member in my capacity as Chair of the Millennium Commission, and place copies of my reply in the Libraries of both Houses.

National Lottery Distribution Fund

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how much is unallocated in the National Lottery Distribution Fund; and what steps she is taking to reduce this sum.

Estelle Morris: According to the latest figures available, up to March 2003, there is a balance in the National Lottery Distribution Fund (NLDF) of £3.26 billion, and of this £136 million is unallocated. Over £4.2 billion has been committed to projects by distributors with varying degrees of firmness.
	The National Lottery Funding Decision Document, published on the 3 July, sets out a number of proposals aimed at reducing the balances held by distributors. These include issuing guidance on balance management to distributors, and revising the Financial Directions distributors operate under in order to speed up the funding of smaller, low risk projects. Copies of this has been placed in the Libraries of both Houses.

Wembley Stadium

Tom Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if she will make a statement on the building of the new Wembley Stadium.

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if she will make a statement on the progress of the Wembley Stadium project.

Richard Caborn: Wembley National Stadium Ltd. are making good progress in the construction of the English National Stadium at Wembley. Construction is on track for opening as planned in 2006.

OFCOM

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if she will make a statement on OFCOM's responsibilities in relation to independent production quotas.

Estelle Morris: The Communications Bill (Clause 275), as amended on Report in the House of Lords), requires OFCOM to include conditions in the licences of all licensed public service channels (Channels 3, 4 and 5) in order to secure that at least 25 per cent. of the time allocated to the broadcasting of qualifying programmes on that channel is allocated to the broadcasting of a range and diversity of independent productions. Conditions will also permit OFCOM to direct that a public service channel that falls short of the quota must make up the shortfall in the subsequent year or years. The Bill also gives OFCOM a range of powers to enforce compliance with these conditions.
	Paragraphs 1 and 7 of Schedule 12 to the Bill, in conjunction with clause 337 and intended amendments to the BBC's Agreement with the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, will produce similar effects in relation to the BBC and the Welsh Authority.
	Under Clause 355 of the Bill OFCOM are required to carry out an annual factual and statistical review. As part of that review, OFCOM must consider what it is appropriate to achieve by conditions and duties under section 275 and paragraphs 1 and 7 of Schedule 12 and the effectiveness for that purpose of the conditions and duties for the time being in force. OFCOM must also consider whether it would be appropriate to recommend to the Secretary of State that he exercises any of his powers under that section or those paragraphs, including the power to provide that the quota be met by "value" instead of, or as well as, by "broadcasting time".

School Sport

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what recent discussions she has had with the Department for Education and Skills on increasing the time spent on sport in schools.

Richard Caborn: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State meets regularly with her right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Education and Skills to discuss issues of mutual concern. These include the Public Service Agreement target, shared by both departments, to enhance the take-up of sporting opportunities by 5 to 16-year-olds by increasing the percentage of school children who spend a minimum of two hours each week on high-quality PE and school sport within and beyond the curriculum from 25 per cent. in 2002 to 75 per cent. by 2006.

Sporting Excellence

Nick Harvey: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what measures are in place to implement sporting excellence at a regional level.

Richard Caborn: Sport England works to develop performance and excellence in sport through support to governing bodies of sport, the six national sports centres and the English Institute of Sport. Sport England has reviewed its operations and business strategy. It now has clear business objectives aimed at getting more people involved in sport and physical activity, retaining more people in sport and getting more success at the highest level. The regions will have more responsibility for funding decisions through their Regional Sports Boards.

Staff Costs

Tim Yeo: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many staff the Department and each Agency and non-departmental public body for which the Department is responsible had in each year since 1997; and what the cost of those staff was in each of those years.

Richard Caborn: Data on staffing levels in the Civil Service is collected from Departments and Agencies twice-yearly, in April and October. Headline figures are published under National Statistics guidelines via a press notice. Those for October 2002 were published on 27 February 2003.
	A copy of the press notice, accompanying media brief and supporting tables is available on the World Wide Web at www.civil-service.gov.uk/statistics. Copies of these documents are also placed in the Libraries of both Houses.
	More detailed information on the Civil Service is published annually in 'Civil Service Statistics', copies of which are laid in the Libraries of both Houses. The last edition, based on April 2001 data, was published in June 2002. The next edition, based on April 2002 data, is due to be published at the end of July 2003.
	The Cabinet Office publishes information on non-departmental public bodies in its annual publication 'Public Bodies'. The information includes details of the number of staff employed by each NDPB at 31 March each year. 'Public Bodies 2002' was published in January 2003. Copies of 'Public Bodies' published each year since 1997 are available in the Libraries of both Houses.
	Details of staff costs are contained in the annual accounts of the Department and the individual agencies and bodies. Copies are available in the Libraries of both Houses.

HOME DEPARTMENT

Assets Recovery Agency

Menzies Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the (a) assets and (b) goods seized by the Assets Recovery Agency in each month since January, broken down by (i) value and (ii) country of origin; and if he will make a statement.

Caroline Flint: I understand from the Director of the Assets Recovery Agency that providing the information in the form requested would risk identifying some or all of the subjects of the cases under investigation, contrary to orders of the court. Since the Agency assumed operational powers on 24 February this year, four orders have been obtained from the High Court in London and Belfast in connection with civil recovery proceedings under Part 5 of the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 to freeze property in the UK as follows:
	
		
			 Property Value (£) 
		
		
			 Four bank accounts 173,800 
			 One bank account (4)— 
			 Cash (four separate cases) 232,703.10 
			 Investment/Premium Bonds (four separate cases) 163,321.31 
			 Eight items of real property 1,843,513 
			 Eight items of real property (4)— 
			 Stocks and shares (two separate cases) (4)— 
			 One vehicle 10,000 
			 Total (excluding those assets yet to be valued) 2,423,337.41 
		
	
	(4) Value of asset(s) to be determined during course of investigation.
	No assets have yet been frozen or seized by the Assets Recovery Agency in connection with proceedings under Parts 2, 4 or 6 of the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002.

Assets Recovery Agency

Menzies Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what targets he has set for the Assets Recovery Agency; and if he will make a statement.

Caroline Flint: Targets for the Assets Recovery Agency are included in the Agency's Business Plan 2003–04, which has been prepared by the Director and approved by my right hon. Friends the Home Secretary and the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland. The Plan will be published on 9 July.

Assets Recovery Agency

Menzies Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much money held by Saddam Hussein's regime has been seized by the Assets Recovery Agency; and if he will make a statement.

Caroline Flint: The Assets Recovery Agency has not seized any funds belonging to Saddam Hussein or his regime.
	In accordance with the guidance given to the Director by the Home Secretary, the Agency will normally investigate cases only on the basis of a referral from the law enforcement or prosecution authorities.
	The United Nations Security Council Resolution 1483, passed on 22 May, requires that all funds, financial assets or economic resources of Saddam Hussein, key members of his regime and their families, be frozen and transferred into the Development Fund for Iraq to be used for the benefit and welfare of the Iraqi people.

Capita

Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps he will take to ensure that information Capita gain from accessing the Police National Computer is confined within the Capita organisation itself and is not related to persons or bodies other than those who have made an authorised application to Capita.

Hazel Blears: holding answer 4 July 2003
	The power in Schedule 29 to the Criminal Justice Bill that would enable the Secretary of State to delegate to another person his functions under Part 5 of the Police Act 1997 is discretionary. No decision has been taken to delegate the Criminal Records Bureau's functions which would allow a private sector provider access to the Police National Computer.
	In the event that the Government decided to delegate any functions of the Criminal Records Bureau which would allow a private sector provider access to sensitive personal information, the delegation would be subject to sufficient safeguards to protect such information from improper disclosure. Furthermore, under new section 124A of the 1997 Act, inserted by paragraph 11 of Schedule 29, it would be an offence for any person to whom the Secretary of State had delegated functions to disclose any personal information obtained in connection with those functions. There are certain exceptions, including where the disclosure is made in the course of the person's duties.

Commission for Racial Equality

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many charges of (a) racial, (b) sexual and (c) disability discrimination have been made by staff of the Commission for Racial Equality against the Commission in each of the last 10 years.

Fiona Mactaggart: I am advised by the Commission that records are held from 1998. Since that period 23 cases have been brought against the Commission for Race Equality (CRE) involving allegations of either sex, race or disability discrimination or a combination of these types of claims. 15 of these claims were withdrawn. Please see breakdown as follows:
	(a) Race: 18
	(b) Gender and race: 4
	(c) Disability: 1

Convicted Mothers

Paul Stinchcombe: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what action has been taken to implement the recommendation in the Halliday Report 'Making Punishments Work' which states that dependent children should be taken into consideration when sentencing mothers.

Paul Goggins: The Halliday report 'Making Punishments Work' advocated maintaining the principle of equal treatment and that there should be no preferential treatment between men and women offenders in sentencing. However, this does not mean the same sentences are necessarily right for different groups who may be differently affected. It is legitimate for a court to take into account the impact of a sentence on other people—including dependent children—as one part of the overall picture. The report recommended the establishment of a body with the power to issue guidelines on sentencing issues. The Government accepted this recommendation by proposing the setting up of the Sentencing Guidelines Council, which forms part of the Criminal Justice Bill at present before Parliament. The sentencing of mothers with dependent children is likely to be an issue which the Council will consider as part of its overall work.

Correspondence

Ian Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will direct the Immigration and Nationality Department to reply to the letter from the hon. Member for Wrexham of 17 January in respect of Mr. Sarkwat Jalal Salih.

Beverley Hughes: The Immigration and Nationality Directorate wrote to my hon. Friend's letter on 12 February 2003. A further copy of the reply was sent to him on 3 July.

Correspondence

Ian Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will direct the Immigration Service Border Control and Enforcement Department in Liverpool to reply to the letter from the hon. Member for Wrexham of 2 June 2003 in respect of Mr. Marawen Salladen Abdulstar.

Beverley Hughes: The Immigration Service Border Control and Enforcement Department in Liverpool wrote to my hon. Friend on 2 July 2003.

Council of Ministers

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 
	(1)  on how many occasions since May 1997 the Department's vote in the Council of Ministers against a legislative proposal (a) was and (b) was not sufficient to achieve with other member states a blocking minority;
	(2)  on how many occasions since May 1997 the Department abstained in the Council of Ministers on a legislative proposal which was passed by qualified majority voting;
	(3)  on how many occasions since May 1997 the Department has been outvoted by qualified majority voting in the Council of Ministers; and if he will list the legislation by year;
	(4)  on how many occasions since May 1997 the Department indicated dissent from a proposal in the Council of Ministers but did not register a vote or abstention.

Caroline Flint: There are limited areas in the Justice and Home Affairs Council which are subject to qualified majority voting (QMV). Since 1999 and for those measures in Title IV of the Treaty on the European Community subject to QMV where the UK has opted into their adoption, no measures have been adopted with the UK abstaining, outvoted or part of a blocking minority. All measures in Title VI of the Treaty on European Union are adopted by unanimity. Information for the years 1997–99 is available only at disproportionate cost.

Criminal Records Bureau

Paul Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment he has made of the impact on (a) local authorities and (b) voluntary organisations of the Criminal Records Bureau's decision to increase the cost of standard and enhanced checks.

Paul Goggins: Responsibility for paying the fee for a criminal record disclosure rests with the individual applicant, although it is open to the employer to reimburse the cost. Checks will remain free in the case of volunteers (saving the voluntary sector an estimated £10 million in 2003–04). I have placed in the Library a Regulatory Impact Assessment which assesses the impact of the fee increase across all sectors.

Criminal Records Bureau

Paul Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many criminal record checks were carried out by employers in (a) Shrewsbury and Atcham, (b) Shropshire and (c) England in each year since 1997; how much the checks cost them; and how many volunteers were checked for criminal records by organisations in (i) Shrewsbury and Atcham, (ii) Shropshire and (iii) England in each year since 1997.

Paul Goggins: Information is not available in the form requested.
	Table 1 shows total numbers of police checks undertaken by forces in England in those financial years for which information is available, under arrangements agreed at national level by the Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO), in relation to
	persons working with children;
	proprietors and managers of residential care homes and nursing homes;
	civilian fine enforcement officers; and
	applicants for taxi and private hire vehicle drivers' licences.
	
		Table 1
		
			  Total number of checks  
		
		
			 1997–98 746,986 
			 1998–99 748,856 
			 1999–2000 835,563 
			 2000–01 849,053 
		
	
	Table 2 shows total numbers of police checks on volunteers undertaken by forces in England (some are national organisations and may include checks conducted in Wales) on behalf of voluntary organisations and channelled through the Voluntary Organisations Consultancy Service (VOCS), taken from the annual report of VOCS in relation to the calendar year indicated:
	
		Table 2
		
			  Total number of checks 
		
		
			 1997 9,796 
			 1998 10,558 
			 1999 10,533 
			 2000 11,476 
			 2001 12,448 
			 2002 12,661 
		
	
	Under ACPO policy, forces undertook checks under arrangements agreed nationally free of charge.
	In the 2002–03 financial year, its first year of operation, the Criminal Records Bureau issued 6,463 Disclosures in response to applications countersigned by registered bodies in Shrewsbury and Atcham; and in the 2003–04 financial year, up to 27 June, has issued 1,557. The corresponding figures for England and Wales as a whole were 1,442,000 and 473,745. Not all of these Disclosures were issued at the behest of employers. Figures are not available in respect of Shropshire. The fee for a Disclosure was £12 until 1 July 2003, when the fee for a Standard Disclosure became £24, and for an Enhanced Disclosure, £29. Disclosures for volunteers are issued free of charge.

Criminal Records Bureau

Kevin McNamara: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 
	(1)  how many (a) local authorities, (b) voluntary organisations and (c) children's charities were consulted about the proposed increases to disclosure fees for standard and enhanced disclosures by the Criminal Records Bureau; and how many organisations consulted supported an increase in fees;
	(2)  what estimate he has made of the impact on the children's charity sector of proposed increases to disclosure fees for standard and enhanced disclosures by the Criminal Records Bureau.

Paul Goggins: In order to maintain an even demand for the Disclosure service, it was not possible to consult in advance of the fee increase being announced.
	Responsibility for paying the fee for a criminal record Disclosure rests with the individual applicant, although it is open to the employer to reimburse the cost. Checks will remain free in the case of volunteers (saving the voluntary sector an estimated £10 million in 2003–04). I have placed a copy in the Library.

EU Legislation

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many regulations originating from the EU have been implemented by the Department over each of the last five years.

Caroline Flint: EC Regulations are, in general, directly applicable in the member states without the need for further incorporation into national law. However, some Regulations may require UK measures to make them workable and enforceable.
	Over the last five years, one Regulation has required such implementation by the Home Office: the Council Regulation concerning the establishment of 'Eurodac' for the comparison of fingerprints for the effective application of the Dublin Convention. The legislative changes required to implement the Eurodac Regulation were made in the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999, effective from 11 December 2000, by virtue of the Immigration and Asylum Act (Commencement No 8 and Transitional Provision) Order 2000. Implementation was completed when the centralised Eurodac fingerprint database became operational on 15 January 2003.
	Two other EC Regulations for which the Home Office has responsibility have also been adopted in the last five years but have not required implementation in the UK:
	Council Regulation 2220/2000/EC of 28 September 2000 amending Regulation (EEC) No 302/93 on the establishment of a European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction.
	Council Regulation 24247/2001//EC of 6 December 2001 on the development of the Second Generation Schengen Information System (SIS II).

Extradition

Jimmy Wray: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether, under the new extradition treaty with the United States, a US legal team will be required to give evidence to a British court; and whether these extradition arrangements are reciprocal.

Caroline Flint: The new extradition Treaty was signed by my right hon. Friend the Home Secretary, and United States Attorney General John Ashcroft in Washington on 31 March.
	When it comes into force it will provide that extradition requests from the United States will, like those from Council of Europe countries, not have to be accompanied by 'prima facie evidence'.
	In accordance with the United States constitution extradition requests to the United States will have to be accompanied by sufficient evidence to provide a reasonable basis to believe that the person sought committed the offence for which extradition is sought.

Extradition

Jimmy Wray: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what procedures are in place to ensure that foreign legal teams have sufficient evidence to apply for the extradition of a British citizen.

Caroline Flint: Under current arrangements, with the exception of those requests made by the UK's 43 partners under the Council of Europe's European Convention on Extradition 1957, ratified by the UK in 1991, all extradition requests to the UK, have to be supported by 'prima facie evidence'. This must be evidence sufficient to warrant the trial of the arrested person if the extradition crime had taken place within the jurisdiction of the court of committal.

Extradition

Jimmy Wray: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the human rights implications of proposals to allow extradition proceedings to occur without evidence submitted to a British court from the prosecuting foreign legal team.

Caroline Flint: Since the United Kingdom ratified the European Convention on Extradition (ECE) in 1991, other countries which are also parties to the ECE, of whom there are now more than 40, have not had to submit 'prima facie' evidence to accompany their extradition requests.
	We do not believe that this has human rights implications but the Extradition Bill, which is currently before Parliament, makes it clear that we can not extradite in any case where extradition would be incompatible with the Convention rights of the person whose extradition is sought.

Extradition

Jimmy Wray: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what extradition arrangements exist between the EU member states and the United States; and what plans there are to change them.

Caroline Flint: The UK's extradition relations with the United States are currently governed by the 1976 bilateral treaty (amended in 1986). We cannot speak for our European Union partners, but all have bilateral treaties with the USA.
	The European Union has no extradition relations with the USA at present. However, the European Union and the USA signed bilateral mutual legal assistance and extradition treaties on 25 June 2003. These will come into force in the UK, once the EU and US agree to put them into force and the UK withdraws its declaration that it will not be bound by the agreements until it has completed its constitutional procedures. This declaration means that any necessary legislation will need to be in place before the agreements can be applied to the UK. The EU decision to bring the agreements into force, like the decision to sign, is subject to unanimity.
	The EU/US extradition agreement has no significant impact on UK/US extradition relations, but, for example, ensures that all other member states have extradition relations with the USA based on dual criminality and a penalty threshold, rather than a list of offences.

Gambling

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to introduce a Gaming Bill.

Richard Caborn: I have been asked to reply.
	We will bring forward legislation as soon as parliamentary time permits. We also intend that Parliament should have an opportunity to give our proposals pre-legislative scrutiny, and plan to publish draft clauses to that end.

Interface with Faith

Jon Owen Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department for what reason Gurdwaras and Sikh organisations in Wales have (a) been excluded from the review of the Government's Interface with Faith Communities and (b) not been included in the mapping exercise.

Fiona Mactaggart: The scope of this Review is England-only, though the devolved Administrations are represented at meetings of the Review Steering Group and may in due course decide to conduct similar reviews.

Juvenile Prisoners

Lynne Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when the imprisonment of (a) female and (b) male juveniles in adult prison establishments will end.

Paul Goggins: On 1 July 2003, 101 young women aged 16 and 17 were in units with young adults aged under 21 or specialist medical and mother and baby facilities catering for adults and juveniles. By the end of the year we expect all the 16-year-olds to have been moved from Prison Service custody; the Prison Service will continue to hold the 17-year-olds for the time being.
	There are currently no male juveniles in adult prison establishments.

Less-than-lethal Weapons

Phil Willis: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what use is being made in the UK of less-than-lethal weapons technology in tackling crime, terrorism and other illegal activity.

Hazel Blears: The police currently have at their disposal the L21A1 baton round for use in dealing with violent situations where there is a significant threat to life. This will include incidents of serious public disorder and circumstances where a resort to conventional ammunition may be the only other alternative.
	In addition, the Association of Chief Police Officers is undertaking a limited operational pilot of Taser in five police force areas. The pilot will allow the police to explore, in greater detail, the potential benefits of the new technology.
	For use in a wider operational role, CS Spray has been available to UK Police forces since 1996. Following its introduction, there was a marked decrease in officer injury rates.
	The UK has well-tried and tested contingency plans developed over many years for responding to a wide range of terrorist threats. The Government does not disclose specific security measures to counter the terrorist threat.

Paedophiles

Paul Beresford: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has for specialised treatment centres for paedophiles to replace the Wolvercote Centre.

Paul Goggins: holding answer 7 July 2003
	As part of the development of a wider accommodation strategy for offenders, the National Probation Directorate is considering how treatment of the sort which was provided by the Wolvercote Clinic may best be provided in dedicated residential facilities. As yet we have no confirmed plans as to the number or the location of such facilities.
	Resources are currently being concentrated on delivering accredited, non-residential treatment programmes for sexual offenders in the community and for those in prison.

Paedophiles

Paul Beresford: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many treatment centres are available to treat paedophiles; and how many paedophile patients these centres can treat at any one time.

Paul Goggins: holding answer 7 July 2003
	There are no residential facilities funded by the Home Office which are dedicated to the treatment of adults convicted of sexual offences against children. However, each of the 42 Probation Areas in England and Wales delivers accredited sex offender treatment programmes in the community. In addition to the 2,000 places on these programmes provided this year, 920 places are provided on accredited sex offender programmes which run in prisons.
	In developing an accommodation strategy for offenders generally, the National Probation Directorate is considering what sort of residential facilities for treating sexual offenders in the community may be required.

Passports

Simon Hughes: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 
	(1)  what compensation was paid by the Post Office to the UK Passport Service for passports lost in the post in each of the last five years;
	(2)  what guidance is issued to post offices to ensure the secure handling of passports en route from UK Passport Service offices to applicants;
	(3)  what action he is taking to minimise the risk of passports being stolen in the post;
	(4)  how many passports were reported lost in transit by private postal and courier companies in each of the last five years.

Beverley Hughes: holding answer 4 July 2003
	In early 2003 the UK Passport Service (UKPS) completed a "Review of Alternative Delivery Mechanisms" in the wake of continuing problems with passports being reported as lost in the post and the concern that these lost passports might subsequently be used for the purposes of identity fraud. As a result of this review UKPS have determined that in future all valid UK passports will be delivered by secure delivery to the customers home address. A tender exercise is currently under way to select a suitable supplier and UKPS expect to announce a chosen supplier in August. Implementation is currently planned for early 2004.
	The UK Passport Service rarely use private postal and courier companies as the bulk of passports are delivered to customers by Royal Mail Group. Private couriers are occasionally used in 'emergency situations', however there have been no reported instances of any passports lost by such couriers.
	For each passport reported lost in the post UKPS receive compensation of £26.00 from Royal Mail Group. Between 1999 and 2002 there were 11,733 passports reported lost in the post and compensation has therefore totalled £305,058.
	There is no specific guidance provided to Post Office Ltd. with regard to the secure delivery of passports to customers. UKPS do however regularly meet with Royal Mail Group to discuss security arrangements within the postal system and measures have been put in place to anonomise envelopes and maximise the secure transmission of passports from UKPS sites to customers.

Police

Adrian Flook: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many police officers there are per head of population in each of the basic command units that make up the Avon and Somerset constabulary area.

Hazel Blears: The information in the table is based on police strength in the Basic Command Units at 31 March 2002, as set out in the reply of 2 December 2002, Official Report, column 589W, by my right hon. Friend the Member for Southampton, Itchen (Mr. Denham) to the hon. Member for Southwark, North and Bermondsey (Simon Hughes).
	
		Avon and Somerset Constabulary
		
			 Basic Command Unit Police officers per 100,000 population(5) 
		
		
			 Bath and North East Somerset 134.5 
			 Central Bristol 348.9 
			 North Bristol 184.4 
			 North Somerset 107.4 
			 Somerset East 99.9 
			 Somerset West 121.1 
			 South Bristol 188.8 
			 South Gloucester 107.6 
		
	
	(5) Population figures are from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) and are the latest available for mid-year 2001

Police

Rudi Vis: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many police officers there were in the London borough of Barnet in 1997; and how many there are now.

Hazel Blears: Information has not been collected on a regular basis about the number of officers deployed to Basic Command Units within force areas. The deployment of resources between the London boroughs and other specialist operational and support units of the Metropolitan Police Service is an operational matter for the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis (Sir John Stevens QPM).
	I would however refer my hon. Friend to the reply of 2 December 2002, Official Report, column 589W, by my right hon. Friend the Member for Southampton, Itchen (Mr. Denham) to the hon. Member for Southwark, North and Bermondsey (Simon Hughes), setting out police strength for each Basic Command Unit for each force in England and Wales as at 31 March 2002.
	Current London borough division boundaries were introduced in 2000 following changes to Metropolitan Police District boundaries with Essex, Hertfordshire and Surrey on 1 April 2000. Barnet Division did not exist in its current form in 1997 and was affected by the boundary changes with Hertfordshire in 2000. Realistic comparisons of borough strength cannot therefore be made.

Police

Mark Tami: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what changes his Department has made to police disciplinary procedures in the last five years; and what representations he has received from chief constables on reforming police disciplinary procedures.

Hazel Blears: The current misconduct regulations were introduced on 1 April 1999. These are the Police (Conduct) Regulations 1999 and the Police (Conduct) (Senior Officers) Regulations 1999, which replaced the existing Police (Discipline) Regulations 1985 and the Police (Discipline) (Senior Officers) Regulations 1985. The new Regulations represent a change in emphasis from a discipline code of specific offences to a code of conduct against which an officer's behaviour can be assessed to see whether or not it matches up to the standards expected of a police officer.
	Regulations and Guidance on police misconduct procedures are kept under review by the Police Personnel Procedures (PPP) Working Group, which was set up by, and is a sub-group of, the Police Advisory Board for England and Wales. All police interests are represented on the PPP Working Group, which includes a member of the Association of Chief Police Officers. Since the current misconduct regulations were introduced in April 1999 the following amendments have been made:
	The Greater London Authority Act 1999 (Consequential Amendments) (Police) Order 2000 (SI 2000/1549) removed references to the Assistant Commissioner from the Police (Conduct) Regulations 1999 and amended the Police (Conduct) (Senior Officers) Regulations 1999 consequential on the fact that the Home Secretary ceased to be the police authority for the Metropolitan Police.
	The Criminal Justice and Police Act 2001 (Consequential Amendments) (Police Ranks) Regulations 2001 (SI 2001/3888) inserted in the Police (Conduct) Regulations 1999 various references to chief superintendents, consequential on section 125 of the 2001 Act, and inserted in the Police (Conduct) (Senior Officers) Regulations 1999 a reference to a deputy chief constable, consequential on section 123 of the 2001 Act. Regulation 5(4) amended regulation 18(3) of the Police (Conduct) Regulations 1999 to provide that at a disciplinary hearing, the two officers who assist the presiding officer need not come from the same force as the officer concerned.

Police

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many police officers there are per head of population on the Isle of Man; and what the equivalent figures are for (a) England and (b) Wales.

Hazel Blears: The information requested is set out in the table.
	
		Police officers per 100,000 population
		
			  Isle of Man Constabulary(6) England(7) Wales(7) 
		
		
			  
			  
			 Police Officers 322.3 240.2 244.2 
			 Civilian Support Staff 65.5 109.8 105.5 
			 Total Police Service Personnel 387.9 350.0 349.7 
		
	
	(6) Information provided by the Isle of Man Constabulary via the Department for Constitutional Affairs.
	(7) England and Wales figures, based on police strength at 31 March 2002 and Office for National Statistics (ONS) mid-year 2001 population figures. Police strength for England and Wales excludes police officers seconded to National Crime Squad (NCS), National Criminal Intelligence Service (NCIS) and central services such as Centrex.

Prisoner Re-offending

Mark Oaten: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what targets he has set for prisoner re-offending rates.

Paul Goggins: holding answer 7 July 2003
	The Home Office Public Service Agreement (published in the White Paper '2002 Spending Review, Public Service Agreements 2003–2006' (Cm 5571, July 2002) set a target to reduce re-offending by five per cent for young offenders and for adults sentenced to imprisonment or sentenced to community sentences. Progress against this target is measured using reconviction rates, as set out in the 'SR2002 Public Service Agreement Technical Notes' (presented to Parliament in March 2003).
	Progress against the proceeding Public Service Agreement Target 10, set in 2000, was reported in Home Office Online Report 16/02.

Prisoner Re-offending

Mark Oaten: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the prisoner re-offending rates were in each of the last five years.

Paul Goggins: holding answer 7 July 2003
	Two-year 'un-adjusted' reconviction rates for prisoners discharged from custody are available for 1994 to 1998. These were 56 per cent. in 1994, 58 per cent. in 1995, 57 per cent. in 1996, 58 per cent. in 1997 and 59 per cent. in 1998. These rates are published in 'Prison Statistics-England and Wales 2001'.
	Reconviction rates for offenders discharged from custody have also been published according to the requirements of the Governments Public Service Agreement (PSA) 10 target. These are adjusted to take out convictions for offences committed prior to discharge, giving a reconviction rate of 55.3 per cent. for the first quarter of 1999. The equivalent figures for the first quarter of 1997 and 1998 are 56.8 per cent. and 55.7 per cent. respectively.
	Neither set of rates indicate trends in rates over time, as they make no allowance for changes in the characteristics and criminal histories of offenders given custodial sentences. To do this a predicted rate is used. Comparisons between the actual and predicted reconviction rates for 1999 show that the actual rate was 1.9 per cent. lower than predicted, equating to 3.3 per cent. fewer offenders reconvicted, as set out in the Home Office On Line Report 16/02.
	Reconviction rates for more recent periods are not yet available.

Probation Officers

Tom Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many probation officers are working within the Greater London area.

Paul Goggins: The information requested is as follows:
	
		
			 London Number of probation staff (8),(5504240009) 
		
		
			 Senior Probation Officers 182.7 
			 Probation Officers 756.2 
			 Trainee Probation Officers 110.0 
			 Probation Service Officers 331.4 
			 Total 1,380.3 
		
	
	(8) Figures given as full-time equivalent.
	(9) Figures as at 31 December 2001, the figures for 2002–03 are currently being processed and analysed and will be available in due course.
	Note:
	Figures obtained from data collected for RDS Probation Statistics 2001

Public Events (Police Participation)

Chris Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what guidance he has given (a) the Metropolitan police and (b) other forces on the participation in uniform by off-duty police officers in public events; and what representations he has received on the participation of police officers in (i) the Lesbian and Gay Pride March in London and (ii) Europride March in Manchester in 2003.

Hazel Blears: No guidance has been issued by the Home Office on the question of off duty officers wearing uniform at a public event. The Gay Police Association asked the Home Office for permission to put the "could you" police recruitment advertising logo on polo and rugby shirts, which would be worn by police officers and their friends and family, at the Lesbian and Gay Pride March in London and the Europride March in Manchester. Permission was granted.

Sex Offender Treatment Programme

Tom Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prisoners serving sentences in London prisons have completed a sex offender's treatment programme within the last 12 months.

Paul Goggins: 64 prisoners serving sentences in London prisons completed a sex offender treatment programme in the 12 months up to 31 March 2003.

Sexual Offences

Paul Beresford: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many individual convictions there were for sexual offences in the last five years; and how many of those convictions have resulted in sentences of four or more years.

Paul Goggins: holding answer 7 July 2003
	The information requested is contained in the table.
	Statistics for 2002 will be published in the autumn.
	
		Number of persons convicted at all courts for sexual offences(10) and the number sentenced to immediate custody for four years or more, England and Wales -- 1997 to 2001
		
			  Number of persons convicted Number sentenced to immediate custody for four years and over 
		
		
			 1997 4,523 718 
			 1998 4,567 789 
			 1999 4,304 753 
			 2000 3,943 875 
			 2001 3,823 814 
		
	
	(10) These data are on the principal offence basis.

Sri Lanka

Tom Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what recent discussions have taken place between his Department's officials and representatives of Tamil community groups in Sri Lanka; and (a) when and (b) where such discussions took place.

Beverley Hughes: There have been none this year.

Terrorist Profiling

Simon Hughes: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to his answer of 20 May 2003, Official Report, columns 764–65W, on terrorist profiling, whether the pilot group has met; and what their timetable is for taking this work forward.

Caroline Flint: The pilot group held its first workshop on terrorist profiles at the headquarters of the German Federal Police on 24 and 25 June. The United Kingdom was represented at this workshop by officers from the Metropolitan Police and Security Service. The workshop involved a preliminary exchange of methodologies and there was an agreement to exchange further information in advance of another meeting to be arranged in the near future.

Women Prisoners

Julian Brazier: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what proportion of women in prison are serving a sentence because of non-payment of fines; and how many of them had as an original offence the non-payment of the TV Licence Fee.

Paul Goggins: holding answer 7 July 2003
	On 30 April 2003, the number of females in Prison Service establishments in England and Wales was 4,432. There were three female fine defaulters, which represents 0.07 per cent of the total female prison population. None of the three female fine defaulters were in prison for defaulting on the payment of a fine for using television without a licence.

Work Permits

Humfrey Malins: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many work permits were issued in each of the last three years, broken down by country of application.

Beverley Hughes: holding answer 4 July 2003
	The information is contained in the following table.
	
		All applications approved including group workers—period 1 January 2000 to 31 December 2002
		
			  Approved 
		
		
			 Afghanistan 18 
			 Albania 138 
			 Algeria 151 
			 Angola 27 
			 Antigua 17 
			 Argentina 804 
			 Armenia 35 
			 Australia 8,489 
			 Azerbaijan 74 
			 Bahamas 21 
			 Bahrain 8 
			 Bangladesh 1,156 
			 Barbados 171 
			 Belarus 188 
			 Belize 5 
			 Benin 5 
			 Bhutan 2 
			 Bolivia 16 
			 Bosnia-Herzegovina 42 
			 Botswana 144 
			 Brazil 754 
			 British Dependant Terr 17 
			 British National Overseas 475 
			 British Overseas Citz. 27 
			 Brunei 26 
			 Bulgaria 1,375 
			 Burkina Faso 4 
			 Burundi 1 
			 Cambodia 2 
			 Cameroon 137 
			 Canada 3,780 
			 Cape Verde 2 
			 Cayman Islands 1 
			 Central African Republic 4  
			 Chad 2 
			 Chile 126 
			 China, People's Republic of 4,587 
			 Colombia 436 
			 Comoros 1 
			 Congo 353 
			 Costa Rica 17 
			 Croatia 215 
			 Cuba 223 
			 Cyprus 120 
			 Czech Republic 829 
			 Djibouti 1 
			 Dominica 60 
			 Dominican Republic 13 
			 Ecuador 42 
			 Egypt 492 
			 El Salvador 8 
			 Eritrea 3 
			 Estonia 88 
			 Ethiopia 42 
			 Fiji 36 
			 Gabon 6 
			 Gambia 92 
			 Georgia 120 
			 Ghana 1,733 
			 Grenada 40 
			 Guatemala 6 
			 Guinea 17 
			 Guinea-Bissau 5 
			 Guyana 170 
			 Haiti 12 
			 Honduras 3 
			 Hong Kong (British) 199 
			 Hong Kong (Chinese) 379 
			 Hungary 851 
			 India 31,820 
			 Indonesia 303 
			 Iran 341 
			 Iraq 60 
			 Israel 578 
			 Ivory Coast 28 
			 Jamaica 1,515 
			 Japan 4,104 
			 Jordan 194 
			 Kazakhstan 138 
			 Kenya 993 
			 Kosovo 8 
			 Kuwait 31 
			 Kyrgyzstan 13 
			 Laos 2 
			 Latvia 225 
			 Lebanon 281 
			 Lesotho 19 
			 Liberia 4 
			 Libya 147 
			 Lithuania 709 
			 Macedonia 69 
			 Madagascar 3 
			 Malawi 166 
			 Malaysia 3,326 
			 Maldives 6 
			 Mali 85 
			 Malta 199 
			 Mauritania 4 
			 Mauritius 713 
			 Mexico 329 
			 Moldova 64 
			 Monaco 2 
			 Mongolia 27 
			 Montenegro 1 
			 Morocco 122 
			 Mozambique 14 
			 Myanmar 70 
			 Namibia 60 
			 Nauru 4 
			 Nepal 332 
			 New Zealand 3,492 
			 Nicaragua 5 
			 Nigeria 2,914 
			 North Korea 2 
			 Oman 20 
			 Pakistan 4,006 
			 Palestine 25 
			 Palestinian Authority 3 
			 Panama 18 
			 Papua New Guinea 1 
			 Paraguay 14 
			 Peru 91 
			 Philippines 12,778 
			 Poland 2,098 
			 Puerto Rica 8 
			 Qatar 2 
			 Romania 935 
			 Russia 1,981 
			 Rwanda 11 
			 Samoa 2 
			 San Marino 1 
			 Saudi Arabia 99 
			 Senegal 217 
			 Serbia 31 
			 Seychelles 66 
			 Sierra Leone 160 
			 Singapore 566 
			 Slovakia 281 
			 Slovenia 109 
			 Soloman Islands 1 
			 Somalia 12 
			 South Africa 13,715 
			 South Korea 748 
			 Sri Lanka 732 
			 St. Helena 18 
			 St. Kitts 1 
			 St. Lucia 56 
			 St. Vincent 38 
			 Stateless 7 
			 Sudan 128 
			 Surinam 0 
			 Swaziland 35 
			 Switzerland 353 
			 Syrian, Arab Republic 151 
			 Tadzikhistan 5 
			 Taiwan 232 
			 Tanzania 122 
			 Thailand 872 
			 Togo 8 
			 TONGA 25 
			 Trinidad an Tobago 742 
			 Tunisia 60 
			 Turkey 885 
			 Turkmenistan 9 
			 Turks and Caicos Islands 1 
			 Uganda 140 
			 Ukraine 673 
			 United Arab Emirates 39 
			 United Kingdom 3 
			 United States of America 23,018 
			 Uruguay 51 
			 Uzbekistan 45 
			 Vanuatu 2 
			 Venezuela 143 
			 Vietnam 58 
			 Yemen Republic of 3 
			 Yugoslavia 213 
			 Zaire 15 
			 Zambia 572 
			 Total 154,443

Work Permits

Humfrey Malins: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many Home Office staff were in post dealing with work permit applications on 1 June (a) 2000, (b) 2001, (c) 2002 and (d) 2003.

Beverley Hughes: holding answer 4 July 2003
	The numbers of staff in post considering work permit applications on 1 June of the years 2000 to 2003 are as follows:
	
		
			  Number 
		
		
			  
			  
			 (a) 2000 (11)113 
			 (b) 2001 (11)206 
			 (c) 2002 240 
			 (d) 2003 271 
		
	
	(11) The figures for 2000–01 are staff dealing with work permit applications in the Department for Education and Employment. The work permit consideration function transferred to the Home Office on 7 June 2001.

CONSTITUTIONAL AFFAIRS

Unpaid Fines

Cheryl Gillan: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs what percentage of fines were unpaid in (a) magistrates courts and (b) Crown courts in (i) Chesham and Amersham and (ii) Buckinghamshire in 2002–03; and if he will make a statement.

Christopher Leslie: Magistrates' Courts Committees (MCCs) have a responsibility for the collection of a range of debts imposed by both the magistrates courts and the Crown court. Debt collected includes not only fines but also fees, compensation, confiscation orders, legal aid contributions and some maintenance orders. It is not yet possible to separate out only fines from the total so the figures provided here include all the elements above.
	Data are collected centrally at MCC level, rather than at court level. The payment rate for the Thames Valley MCC in 2002–03, that is the percentage of the total amount collected over the amount imposed, was 69 per cent. On that basis, the percentage of fines unpaid was 31 per cent.
	In addition, the Thames Valley MCC accounting system is unable to identify the percentage of fines unpaid in the Chesham and Amersham satellite magistrates court. Information from the Thames Valley MCC indicated that the payment rate in 2002–03 for the Central Buckinghamshire Petty Session Area, which includes Amersham, was 65 per cent.

General Election Participation

Bill Wiggin: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs what percentage of UK citizens who live abroad participated in the last general election.

Christopher Leslie: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office estimates that there are around 15.5 million UK citizens living abroad, but not all of these will be eligible to register to vote as overseas electors. In February 2001, 11,496 UK citizens were registered to vote as overseas electors. However, no central record is kept on which of those electors chose to vote in the general election that followed in June that year.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

Iraq

Harry Barnes: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what arrangements he has made to assist in the development of free trade unions in Iraq.

Bill Rammell: The Government are working through the Coalition Provisional Authority in partnership with the Iraqi people to develop a free and democratic society respectful of human rights and freedom of expression.
	My hon. Friend the Minister for Europe (Mr. MacShane) is working with the hon. Member and others to encourage the establishment of one of the key political institutions in any democracy: a trade union movement.
	My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary and the Minister for Europe today met British trade union officials to discuss support for trade union's in Iraq.

European Constitution

David Cameron: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent representations he has received about keeping the British veto in the areas covered by the draft European Constitution; and if he will make a statement.

Denis MacShane: The Government have received many representations on the Convention's proposals. We look forward to receiving many more once the final text of the Convention's draft is published in the next few days. More QMV is essential to push through our solutions to Europe-wide problems in key areas, such as asylum and immigration. But there are areas on which we would not be prepared to move from unanimity. We would not agree to any changes on foreign policy, defence, taxation or social security which threatened the national interest.

EuroMed Process

Gordon Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on developments in respect of the EuroMed Process at the recent Thessaloniki European Council meeting.

Denis MacShane: The European Council welcomed the outcome of the Euro-Mediterranean Mid-Term Ministerial Meeting in Crete in May and agreed that the EuroMed Process was a key tool for enhancing the EU's relationship with the Arab world.

European Council

Patrick McLoughlin: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the reform of the Presidency of the European Council.

Denis MacShane: The Government supports the proposals made by the Convention for a full-time European Council Chair, which would give its work greater continuity and coherence. We believe that reform is essential to enable the enlarged EU to work effectively.

Zimbabwe

Nicholas Winterton: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the latest situation in Zimbabwe.

Chris Mullin: The political and economic situation in Zimbabwe remains serious. The state continues to use violence and intimidation against its opponents. Formal dialogue between the ruling ZANU (PF) and opposition MDC has not started. The leader of the opposition, Morgan Tsvangirai, now faces two treason charges. The economy continues to spiral downwards. The World Food Programme estimates that nearly half the population, 5.5 million Zimbabweans, will depend on food aid this year.
	Responsibility for the present state of Zimbabwe lies squarely with its present Government. Together with the rest of the international community, we will continue to provide humanitarian relief, will work to sustain Mugabe's isolation and highlight his abuses of fundamental human rights and will continue to promote a prosperous and democratic future for the people of Zimbabwe.

Zimbabwe

Russell Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the effect of the situation in Zimbabwe on the rest of southern Africa.

Chris Mullin: The situation in Zimbabwe continues to have a negative impact on other countries in southern Africa. The crisis there is damaging regional economies and has adversely affected their interest rates, inflation, foreign direct investment and tourism. A study by the Zimbabwe Research Initiative in May estimated the total cost to the combined Southern African Development Community (SADC) countries to have been at least US$1.88 billion at the end of 2002. Zimbabwe's neighbours are also suffering damage to local production from the influx of cheap Zimbabwean goods, unpaid Zimbabwean debts, an increase in largely unskilled migrants, and the cross border spread of foot and mouth disease.

Consul-General (San Francisco)

Derek Wyatt: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs for what reasons the Consul-General's house in San Francisco has been sold.

Bill Rammell: The Consul-General's house failed to match the key performance indicators by which we judge whether to retain estate assets, particularly because it was significantly overscale.

United Nations

Ian Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with representatives of the Government of Germany concerning its policy on the United Nations.

Bill Rammell: We have regular discussions at all levels with Germany on UN issues, not only as important partners in the UN, but also as current members of the UN Security Council.

Leyla Zana

Ann Clwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the re-trial of Leyla Zana and her three colleagues in Turkey.

Denis MacShane: We welcome the Turkish reforms which allow for the re-trial of cases in line with ECHR rulings and the subsequent decision to re-try Leyla Zana and her co-defendants. We are monitoring the trial closely and co-ordinate with EU Partners to ensure that all hearings are attended.

Weapons of Mass Destruction

Andrew Robathan: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the evidence of weapons of mass destruction in Iraq that he received before the recent conflict.

Bill Rammell: I refer the hon. Member to the evidence given by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office to the Foreign Affairs Committee, which is included in their report, "The Decision to Go to War in Iraq", Volume II Written Evidence (HC 813–11), published on 7 July 2003.

Burma

Vera Baird: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the situation in Burma.

Mike O'Brien: The situation in Burma is of grave concern to this Government. We have repeatedly called on the Burmese authorities to release immediately Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and other National League for Democracy members detained on or since 30 May 2003. The regimes responses to events so far have been unacceptable. The UK will ensure that pressure is maintained and increased on the Burmese regime to move irreversibly towards democracy and respect for human rights.

Burma

Parmjit Dhanda: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the effects of the decision by member countries of the Association of South East Asian Nations to allow Burma to take over the presidency of the organisation in 2006; and what discussions he has had with ASEAN about this decision.

Mike O'Brien: We are concerned that Burma is to take over the presidency of the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) in 2006. We take advantage of our regular bilateral and multilateral contacts with all ASEAN nations to discuss Burma related issues, most recently on 17 June 2003 at the ASEAN Regional Forum. We welcome the recent joint statement from the ASEAN Foreign Ministers, which looked forward to the early lifting of restrictions placed on Aung San Suu Kyi. We hope that this will lead to more action on behalf of ASEAN members in the future. We believe that the ASEAN nations have an important role to play in encouraging substantive change in Burma.

Cyprus

Andrew Dismore: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what his policy is on the action to be taken by the authorities in occupied Cyprus if Famagusta port is to be reopened; and if he will make a statement. [R]

Denis MacShane: The question of the status of Famagusta port is one for the Government of the Republic of Cyprus.

Cyprus

Andrew Dismore: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the future status of Sovereign Base Area Cyprus after the Republic of Cyprus accedes to the EU. [R]

Denis MacShane: Following Cyprus' accession, the UK's Sovereign Base Areas (SBAs) will remain outside the EU, with technical adjustments to ensure the continued smooth functioning of the relationship between Cyprus and the SBAs.
	The arrangements are set out in a Protocol to the Treaty of Accession, which was signed on 16 April.

Cyprus

Andrew Dismore: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs in what respects the Annan plan for a Cyprus settlement is incompatible with the Acquis Communautaire; and if he will make a statement.[R]

Denis MacShane: The European Commission has stated repeatedly that there is no incompatibility of the UN proposals with the acquis communautaires. Commission officials worked in close co-ordination with the UN team over the drafting of the UN plan. The EU has affirmed on a number of occasions, most recently at Thessaloniki European Council, that it will accommodate the terms of a settlement, in line with the principles on which the EU is founded.
	Furthermore, a comprehensive settlement on the basis of the UN plan, before May 2004, would allow a re-united island to be a member of the EU. This is the EU's express and strong preference.

Cyprus

Andrew Dismore: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the fiscal and financial arrangements in the Annan plan on the economy of the proposed Greek Cypriot component of Cyprus should the Annan plan be implemented in its current form; and if he will make a statement. [R]

Denis MacShane: We believe the UN plan for a comprehensive, just and lasting settlement in Cyprus to be fair and balanced, including on matters of fiscal and financial arrangements. The proposed Greek Cypriot state is currently the richer of the two constituent states that would make up the United Cyprus Republic. This would inevitably lead to some disparity of contributions, as in any democratic state.

Cyprus

Andrew Dismore: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what restrictions remain on people wishing to cross the Green Line in Cyprus; and if he will make a statement. [R]

Denis MacShane: Upon crossing the Green Line, Greek Cypriots travelling north are required to show their passports to the Turkish Cypriot authorities. Their details are logged and checked on return. They are permitted to bring their cars with them, provided they take out Turkish Cypriot third party insurance, and they are allowed to stay for up to three nights in hotels, but not in private accommodation.
	Turkish Cypriots travelling south are required to show exit visas north of the Green Line, and then a Republic of Cyprus passport or ID card, or a "Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus" ID card (in which case their details are logged), when they cross. They are allowed to bring their cars for a period of up to 48 hours.
	The Cyprus Government does not permit Turkish citizens to cross from the north to the south, nor does it permit any person who has entered the island of Cyprus through a port of entry in the north to cross to the south.
	The British Government welcomes the relaxation of restrictions on freedom of movement across the Green Line. However, such measures are not a substitute for a comprehensive settlement on the basis of the UN plan.

Cyprus

Andrew Dismore: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what his estimate is of the number of people who have crossed the Green Line in Cyprus (a) north to south and (b) south to north; and if he will make a statement. [R]

Denis MacShane: The latest figures available record that, as of 21 May, 292,017 Greek Cypriots had crossed to the north, and 142,253 Turkish Cypriots had crossed to the south. Some of these may be repeat visits. Reports continue of thousands of Cypriots crossing each way every week, particularly at weekends.

Cyprus

Andrew Dismore: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what his assessment is of the impact of the opening of the Green Line in Cyprus on the prospects for a Cyprus settlement; and if he will make a statement. [R]

Denis MacShane: The celebratory scenes of Greek and Turkish Cypriots crossing the Green Line for the first time in 29 years have proved that Greek and Turkish Cypriots can live together peacefully.
	The British Government welcomes any moves that increase contacts between the two sides and improve the climate on the island. However, these measures are no substitute for renewed negotiations in the search for a comprehensive settlement on the basis of the UN plan, in line with the recommendations in the United Nations Secretary-General's report of 1 April 2003 to the UN Security Council, endorsed by UNSCR 1475.

Cyprus

Andrew Dismore: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what package of measures has been put forward by the EU to assist Turkish Cypriots in occupied Cyprus; how these measures will be administered; what his assessment is of these measures; and if he will make a statement. [R]

Denis MacShane: The European Commission released, on 3 June, a package of measures designed to promote economic development in the north of Cyprus and bring it closer to the EU.
	The package includes 9 million euros of financial assistance to boost economic development, through developing infrastructure in the north, introducing grant schemes for Small and Medium Enterprises and conducting feasibility studies on the economic integration of the north of Cyprus into the EU, after a political settlement. The package further includes 3 million euros to bring the north closer to the EU, through information activities on the EU and the acquis. Finally, the package includes proposals on trade, in particular that the Turkish Cypriot Chamber of Commerce could be given the authority to issue movement certificates for goods going from the north of Cyprus to the south.
	Technical talks on the implementation and administration of these proposals are ongoing in Brussels. However, we are urging both sides to work closely with the Commission to implement these measures and deliver the best possible results for Turkish Cypriots.

Cyprus

Andrew Dismore: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what measures have been taken by the Republic of Cyprus to assist Turkish Cypriots resident in occupied Cyprus; what assessment he has made of these measures; and if he will make a statement. [R]

Denis MacShane: On 30 April the Cyprus Government released a Memorandum on Government Policy vis-à-vis the Turkish Cypriots, detailing proposed measures designed to give the Turkish Cypriots, in the absence of a settlement and where possible, the same rights as those enjoyed by the Greek Cypriots.
	These proposed measures include the establishment of an Office of Turkish Cypriot Affairs; the facilitation of the issuing of travel documents, ID cards and birth certificates by the Republic of Cyprus to Turkish Cypriots; the facilitation of the employment of Turkish Cypriots; measures to enable goods for personal consumption to be carried from the north to the south; the facilitation of freedom of movement from the north to the south; the introduction of direct dialling between the south, the north and Turkey; measures regarding Turkish Cypriots missing from the 1960s and 1970s; the participation of Turkish Cypriots in elections for local authorities in the south; measures regarding the teaching of Turkish to Greek Cypriots, and Greek to Turkish Cypriots; the provision of free medical treatment to Turkish Cypriots in the south when referred by a doctor in the north; and various measures regarding cultural events and activities.
	The Government of the Republic of Cyprus has already implemented many of these measures and is looking at ways of implementing the remainder.
	The British Government welcomes measures designed to help normalise life on the island. However, we believe that Confidence Building Measures are in no way a substitute for a comprehensive settlement on the basis of the UN plan, and for a reunited island being a member of the EU.

Cyprus

Andrew Dismore: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he plans to make to the authorities of occupied Cyprus on ensuring fair balance in the broadcast media for the elections in occupied Cyprus this year; and if he will make a statement. [R]

Denis MacShane: The British Government will be watching developments closely and will make any representations that they consider necessary and appropriate.

Cyprus

Andrew Dismore: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made to Turkey concerning the refusal of Turkey (a) to allow Republic of Cyprus-flagged vessels to use Turkish ports and (b) to enter into a customs agreement with the Republic of Cyprus; what assessment he has made of the implications of these refusals for Turkey's application for EU candidate status; and if he will make a statement. [R]

Denis MacShane: This is a matter for the EU Commission, which regularly reminds Turkey of her obligations on both of these points.
	Turkey was granted EU candidate status at the Helsinki summit of 1999.

Cyprus

Andrew Dismore: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what plans he has to send observers for the elections in occupied Cyprus; and if he will make a statement. [R]

Denis MacShane: The Government firmly believe that it is important that the forthcoming elections in the north of Cyprus are seen to be free and fair. We would certainly consider sending observers if invited to do so.

Cyprus

Andrew Dismore: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what action he proposes to take to ensure the elections in occupied Cyprus will be conducted fairly; and if he will make a statement. [R]

Denis MacShane: The elections in the north of Cyprus come at a critical time for the future of Cyprus and the prospects for a permanent and comprehensive settlement. It is clearly in the interests of all concerned that they should be seen to be conducted freely and fairly. We urge the Turkish Cypriot authorities to ensure that this is so.

Cyprus

Andrew Dismore: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what his latest estimate is of how many residents in occupied Cyprus are (a) Turkish Cypriots, (b) settlers from Turkey, (c) descendants of settlers from Turkey, born in Cyprus and (d) foreign nationals; and if he will make a statement. [R]

Denis MacShane: The number of residents in each of these categories is a matter of dispute between the various parties concerned and no authoritative estimates are available.

Cyprus

Andrew Dismore: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what action he is taking to ensure the electoral roll for the elections in occupied Cyprus is fairly compiled; and if he will make a statement. [R]

Denis MacShane: We have observed closely the legal and other action that has taken place in the north of Cyprus in recent months to challenge the validity of the existing entries on the electoral roll. We believe that the credibility of any election result depends, among other things, on the credibility of the electoral roll on which it is based.

Cyprus

Andrew Dismore: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what his latest estimate is of the number of Turkish troops in occupied Cyprus; and if he will make a statement. [R]

Denis MacShane: The 1960 Treaty of Alliance allows for there to be 950 Greek troops and 650 Turkish troops on the island of Cyprus. The actual numbers of Greek and Turkish troops are a matter of dispute between the various parties concerned. No authoritative figures are available.

Cyprus

Andrew Dismore: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs 
	(1)  what (a) action he is taking and (b) advice he is giving to prevent UK citizens resident in occupied Cyprus in dispute with Greek Cypriots visiting the property with a claim to ownership;
	(2)  what advice he is giving to UK citizens resident in occupied Cyprus in the event of a Greek Cypriot visiting the property suggesting it belongs to him; and if he will make a statement.

Denis MacShane: Our High Commission in Nicosia has encouraged British residents in the north of Cyprus to act in the spirit of the times, and to accord visiting Greek Cypriots the same courteous welcome that they have generally received from Turkish Cypriots.

Cyprus

Andrew Dismore: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what action he is taking to persuade the Government in occupied Cyprus to remove its requirement on visitors from the Republic of Cyprus to produce passports when crossing into the occupied areas; and if he will make a statement.

Denis MacShane: We will continue to encourage both sides in Cyprus to work together to eliminate any difficulties which the welcome relaxing of restrictions on freedom of movement might cause.

Cyprus

Andrew Dismore: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what advice he is giving (a) to UK citizens resident in occupied Cyprus in property where the title is uncertain owing to possible Greek Cypriot ownership and (b) to potential purchasers from the UK of property in occupied Cyprus; and if he will make a statement.

Denis MacShane: Our general advice to prospective buyers, found on the FCO's website and given in response to telephone queries, is that non-recognition of the "Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus", and the possibility of a future political settlement, could have implications for those considering buying property in the north. They should appraise themselves fully of the situation and seek legal advice.
	We continue to believe that property issues will only be fully resolved through a comprehensive settlement based on the UN plan.

Cyprus

Andrew Dismore: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what action is being taken to prevent UK citizens resident in occupied Cyprus crossing into sovereign base areas; in what circumstances they will be prevented from doing so; in what circumstances they will be permitted to do so; and if he will make a statement.

Denis MacShane: In line with commitments made to the Republic of Cyprus in the 1960 Treaty of establishment, provided they have entered the island of Cyprus through an internationally recognised port of entry, British nationals have freedom of access and communication to and through the Eastern Sovereign Base Areas (ESBA) from the north. No action is being or will be taken to prevent them from doing so. However, any person who has entered the island of Cyprus through an unrecognised port of entry is considered to be an illegal immigrant by the Government of the Republic of Cyprus. It has been Government policy since 1974 to respect the Republic of Cyprus' immigration policy. The relaxing of restrictions on freedom of movement across the Green Line has required SBA authorities to check and monitor people and vehicles entering and leaving the ESBA. Therefore, some people who might have previously crossed in contravention of SBA law are now no longer able to do so.

Cyprus

Andrew Dismore: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what reported incidents there have been of violent confrontation as a result of people crossing the Green Line in Cyprus (a) north to south, in the south and (b) south to north, in the north; and if he will make a statement.

Denis MacShane: There has been one minor violent incident, in which a Turkish Cypriot visiting the south was attacked and received hospital treatment. The alleged attackers are the subject of a police investigation.
	However, this one exception proves the rule that the Green Line crossings in general have been peaceful and celebratory, proving that Greek and Turkish Cypriots can live together peacefully.

Cyprus

Andrew Dismore: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the evidence he has received of smuggling (a) into and (b) out of the Sovereign Base Area, Cyprus of (i) drugs, (ii) humans and (iii) other contraband material (A) before the relaxation of the Green Line restrictions and (B) since; and if he will make a statement.

Denis MacShane: The Sovereign Base Areas have appropriate measures in place to prevent the passage of contraband goods across SBA boundaries. The SBA checks and controls mirror those of the Republic of Cyprus.
	Increased quantities of uncustomed goods (mainly tobacco products and alcohol) have been seized by SBA Customs at the crossing points in the Eastern Sovereign Base Area (ESBA) since the relaxation of crossing restrictions across the Green Line and the subsequent necessity of checking every vehicle. So far no drugs have been detected.
	In early 2001, there were five incidents of prohibited immigrants attempting to cross into the ESBA directly from the north. There have been no further incidents since then.

Cyprus

Andrew Dismore: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what plans he has to ensure freedom of movement for Cypriot citizens in Cyprus and in the EU; and if he will make a statement.[R]

Denis MacShane: Cypriots holding Republic of Cyprus passports will be able to enjoy free movement throughout the EU from 1 May 2004.
	Some restrictions on freedom of movement within the island of Cyprus are likely to continue as long as Cyprus remains divided. We are urging the two sides to resume negotiations on the basis of the UN plan, in order to secure a comprehensive settlement and enable a reunited Cyprus to be an EU member.

Cyprus

Andrew Dismore: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what plans he has to replace Lord Hannay with a new special representative to Cyprus; and if he will make a statement. [R]

Denis MacShane: None at present.
	I refer my hon. Friend to the Written Ministerial Statement made by my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary, on 4 June 2003, Official Report, column 22WS.

Cyprus

Andrew Dismore: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what his policy is on the conditions which should be met by the leaders of the Turkish Cypriot community in Cyprus before negotiations for a settlement can be resumed; and if he will make a statement. [R]

Denis MacShane: The British Government remains committed to UNSCR 1475, which endorsed the view of the UN Secretary-General, that both sides should unequivocally state that they are ready to commit to resumed negotiations on the basis of the UN plan, and that they should commit to finalising the plan without changing its basic principles or essential trade-offs, and to putting it to referendums on both sides of the island.
	The Greek Cypriot leader, Mr. Papadopoulos, gave such a commitment at The Hague earlier this year. The Turkish Cypriot leader, Mr. Denktash, has refused to do so.

Cyprus

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with the UN on the possible reopening of Famagusta port; and if he will promote its reopening. [R]

Denis MacShane: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Hendon (Mr. Dismore) today (UIN 123165).

EU (Official Languages)

Andrew Dismore: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the implications for Turkish Cypriot EU citizens applying for jobs with the EU Commission, in the event of Turkish not being an official language of the EU; and if he will make a statement. [R]

Denis MacShane: The Republic of Cyprus has specified to the EU that its official language is Greek. Any Cypriot citizen applying for jobs within the Commission would have to work with the official languages of the Union.
	In the event of a comprehensive settlement on the basis of the UN plan and consequent EU membership by a reunited Cyprus, it is likely that Turkish would become an official language of the EU. In that way, the current anomalous situation would be resolved.
	We are urging both sides to resume negotiations and commit to securing a settlement on the basis of the UN plan.

GCHQ

Harry Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to his answer of 26 June 2003, Official Report, column 936W, on GCHQ, whether any computers are missing.

Jack Straw: The audit of GCHQ's 2001–02 account revealed that certain items (including computers) held on the asset register could not be located. Such cases have been investigated and all items satisfactorily accounted for.
	In some cases, the items had been (correctly) disposed of; the remainder were in use but not in their original location. In these cases, the Fixed Asset Register had simply not been updated to reflect the true position. Other investigations have shown that a few items, mainly of portable computing equipment (not on the Fixed Asset Register) made available to staff for authorised work away from the office cannot be located and may have been lost or stolen. GCHQ's security division has, however, carried out appropriate investigations and concluded that no classified material has been compromised as a result.
	The process of reconciling GCHQ's physical holdings of equipment with the Register continues, with regular communication with the National Audit Office on progress and plans for future work.

Guantanamo Bay

Menzies Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what welfare concerns his Department has raised with the US authorities concerning the British detainees at Guantanamo Bay.

Jack Straw: We are very conscious of the importance of safeguarding the welfare of the British detainees held at Guantanamo Bay. Officials have visited them on five occasions. In addition to checking on the overall living conditions, we have raised individual health concerns of the detainees with the United States authorities. We have also raised the issues of delays in mail and the amount of exercise the detainees are allowed.

Indonesia

Win Griffiths: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what plans he has to co-ordinate the government resourced projects aimed at supporting the reform process in Indonesia with the timber projects being undertaken by governments in (a) the EU and (b) outside the EU.

Hilary Benn: I have been asked to reply.
	The Government's support to forest sector reform in Indonesia is primarily through the Multi-stakeholder Forestry Programme. This started in July 2000. It helps build capacity within civil society and government to promote reforms. Associated with this programme is a Memorandum of Understanding signed in April 2002 between the Governments of Indonesia and the UK to address the serious problem of illegal logging and associated trade.
	Some other donor-supported programmes in Indonesia have similar aims. China, Norway and Japan have recently signed co-operation agreements with Indonesia that are similar to the Indonesia-UK Memorandum of Understanding. An agreement between Indonesia and the EU is in preparation.
	We recognise that actions under these agreements need to be co-ordinated. A Donor Forest Forum provides policy guidance. It reports to the broader Consultative Group on Indonesia.
	At an operational level we work with other donors to identify gaps, overlaps and opportunities for collaboration. Those involved, in addition to the UK, include local managers of programmes supported by the Asian Development Bank, Canada, the European Union, Germany, the International Tropical Timber Organisation, the Netherlands, Norway, the United States and the World Bank. One example of joint action is UK co-operation with a US-funded programme to design a system for tracking legally harvested logs. We foresee further opportunities as the plans supported by other donors are implemented.

International Atomic Energy Agency

Alan Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will place a copy of the UK's speech to the IAEA Board of Governors meeting of June 2003 in the Library.

Nigel Griffiths: I am placing in the Libraries of the House, a copy of the statement made by the UK Governor to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) at the IAEA Board of Governor's meeting, on 18 June 2003 in response to the IAEA Director General's report to the Board on the implementation of the NPT safeguards agreement in Iran. A copy of this statement is also available at http://www.fco.gov.uk/Files/kfile/IAEA.pdf.

Chechen Fighters

Crispin Blunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what evidence the Government have collated that Chechen fighters were involved in action against (a) US and (b) British forces in (i) Iraq and (ii) Afghanistan.

Bill Rammell: holding answer 4 July 2003
	According to US military sources, US forces engaged a number of irregular fighters from the Middle East, North Africa and Chechnya near Baghdad in April 2003. These sources were quoted in several media reports at the time.
	A small number of Chechen fighters reportedly took part in fighting near Bagram, north of Kabul, and Mazar-e-Sharif. We cannot, however, confirm this.

UK Arms Exports

Jimmy Wray: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what measures are in place to monitor the end-use of UK arms exports; and what proposals he has to improve these.

Denis MacShane: The Government are committed to carrying out end-use monitoring where it will genuinely add value to our efforts to minimise the risk of misuse and diversion. FCO posts have standing instructions to report any misuse of UK-origin defence equipment.
	The Government keep its procedures in this area under review, and look at the systems employed by other countries. If practicable ways are identified in which they might be improved, these will be reflected in our future actions.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

Animal Welfare

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how animal welfare informs her policy on the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade.

Mike O'Brien: Animal welfare issues have long been included among the EU's WTO negotiating priorities. At Doha, the EU was successful in ensuring that the issue of farm animal welfare could be taken into account as part of the current Agreement on Agriculture negotiations.
	Reaching agreement on changes to WTO rules explicitly to allow countries to limit imports of goods based only on the way in which a product was made (for instance whether the production method took account of animal welfare standards) remains extremely difficult. Many WTO members, developing countries in particular, are highly suspicious of the EU's motives and fear that animal welfare production standards will be used as an excuse for covert protectionism. The EU continues to raise this issue in all relevant WTO for in order to try and build trust and understanding for the EU's position. We see discussions on farm animal welfare in the current Doha trade round as a helpful step to building trust and understanding for the EU's position on broader animal welfare standards.

Business Start-ups

Claire Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what the business start-up rates were in (a) Merseyside, (b) the North West and (c) the UK in 2001–02; and how many survived for a year.

Nigel Griffiths: Business start-ups are measured officially by VAT registrations. The latest year for which VAT registration data is available is 2001.
	
		VAT Registrations 2001 
		
			  Number Rate per 10,000 adults 
		
		
			 United Kingdom 175,455 37 
			 North West 17,565 32 
			 Merseyside Metropolitan County(12) 3,370 30 
		
	
	(12) Excludes Halton UA
	Source
	Business Start-ups and Closures: VAT Registrations and De-registrations 1980–2001, Small Business Service.
	One-year VAT survival data is available for 2000 but not yet for 2001.
	They show a greater-than-average survival rate for businesses in Greater Merseyside.
	
		VAT Survival Rates: Businesses still registered for VAT 12 months after registration
		
			  Percentage 
		
		
			 United Kingdom 91.4 
			 North West 90.6 
			 Greater Merseyside(14) 92.4 
		
	
	(13) Includes Halton UA
	Source
	Small Business Service

Intellectual Property Laws

Bob Laxton: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what steps her Department is taking to ensure that intellectual property laws in the UK do not inhibit access to drugs in developing countries, with particular reference to the treatment of HIV and AIDS.

Mike O'Brien: A UK intellectual property right for a drug gives no rights over use of the drug in another country.
	Intellectual Property Rights are territorial; patents in one country are not enforceable in another (although there are some regional agreements, such as the European Patent Convention). This means that any effects of intellectual property rights in the UK on access to medicines will be indirect.
	The effect of intellectual property rights on access to medicines in developing countries has attracted significant attention recently.
	Instead, the issue is primarily one of the effects of intellectual property rights in developing countries themselves—and international agreements, such as the World Trade Organisation's Trade-related aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (WTO TRIPs) Agreement, which require these rights to be available. A specific concern at present is changing the effect of TRIPs to enable countries with insufficient manufacturing capacity to make effective use of compulsory licenses for needed pharmaceuticals. All WTO members committed to solving this problem at the Ministerial Conference in Doha in 2001. This change would not require the UK to change its own laws, and the Government has made no commitment to do so.

Iraq

Henry Bellingham: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many contracts have been secured by British companies for reconstruction work in Iraq; what discussions she has had with (a) the Prime Minister and (b) the US Administration about such contracts; and if she will make a statement.

Patricia Hewitt: British companies are not required to notify us when they have secured contracts for reconstruction work in Iraq. However, we are aware that three companies have publicly acknowledged winning such contracts and believe that a number more have been successful but have not publicised their details.
	The Cabinet and Ad Hoc Ministerial Group on Iraq has regular discussions on all aspects of our policy towards Iraq, including reconstruction.
	I have discussed Iraq with Andrew Natsios of US AID. My right hon. and noble Friend, the then Minister for Trade visited Washington on 15 and 16 May 2003 when she held talks with US AID, the State Department and, the US Army Corps of Engineers on redevelopment work in Iraq.

Small and Medium-sized Businesses

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what steps she is taking to reduce the regulatory burden of small and medium-sized businesses.

Nigel Griffiths: The Economist Intelligence Unit (E.I.U) studied the business environment, including regulation, in 60 countries. The Unit found that the Netherlands, the USA and Britain take the top three places.
	Among the measures that help us keep the UK ahead of other countries are:
	Extended the flat rate VAT scheme, to relieve red tape burdens on 700,000 SMEs who have had their paperwork and compliance costs cut by up to £1,000 a year, removed automatic late payment penalties for VAT, reduced the corporation tax starting rate from 10 per cent. zero so that 150,000 companies will no longer pay and tax, cut the small companies rate from 20 per cent. to 19 per cent., benefiting over 335,000 companies.
	Removed the statutory audit requirement for all companies with a turnover up to £1 million benefiting up to 150,000 small companies since July 2000 with potential savings of up to £180 million a year.

Start-up Rates

Claire Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what the start-up rate for businesses is in (a) Merseyside, (b) the North West and (c) England.

Nigel Griffiths: Business start-ups are measured officially by VAT registrations. The latest year for which VAT registration data is available is 2001.
	
		VAT Registrations 2001
		
			  Number Rate per 10,000 adults 
		
		
			 England 154,280 39 
			 NorthWest 17,565 32 
			 Merseyside Metropolitan County(14) 13,370 30 
		
	
	(14) Excludes Halton UA
	Source
	Business start-ups and closures: VAT registrations and de-registrations 1980–2001, Small Business Service.

Trade Rules

Claire Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what the OECD guidelines for multilateral enterprises are; and what the Government's policy is on these guidelines.

Mike O'Brien: The OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises ("the Guidelines") are recommendations addressed by adhering countries to multi-national enterprises. They represent a framework of principles of good conduct for multi-national companies in their business activities, designed to help ensure that they act in harmony with the policies of the countries in which they operate and that they consider the views of other stakeholders (for example in respect of social and environmental issues). The Guidelines aim to promote and develop a sustainable approach to business conduct and to build an atmosphere of confidence and predictability between business, labour, governments and society as a whole. It is intended that companies use the Guidelines as a benchmark when developing their own codes of conduct and should be seen as a minimum required standard of behaviour. Further information can be obtained from www.oecd.org
	The Government supports the OECD Guidelines, which are an integral part of the Government's policy towards Corporate Social Responsibility. There are expectations of business, in respect of environmental and social responsibility and in high standards of corporate governance, wherever they operate. The Guidelines can have a positive impact on the contribution by businesses in these areas.

UK-Russia Bilateral Trade

Janet Anderson: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what progress was made in discussions on bilateral trade with President Putin during his recent visit.

Patricia Hewitt: I was very pleased to attend the Energy Summit at Lancaster House, which was addressed by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister and President Putin who both welcomed the increased trade and investment between our two countries.
	During the State visit, Deputy Prime Minister Kurdin and I had a very fruitful meeting where we discussed a range of trade related issues, including increased UK/Russia trade and economic co-operation. We both warmly welcomed the BP investment, announced at the Energy Summit, which helps to make the UK the largest foreign investor in Russia.

MINISTER FOR WOMEN

Domestic Violence

Judy Mallaber: To ask the Minister for Women when she expects that the outcome of the Government study into the costs of domestic violence will be published.

Patricia Hewitt: The research report is scheduled for publication in autumn 2003.

Temporary Agency Workers

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Minister for Women how many women are employed as temporary agency workers in all Government departments; and what proportion this represents of (a) all those employed as temporary agency workers and (b) the total work force of Government Departments.

Patricia Hewitt: This information is not held centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER

Affordable Housing

Martin Linton: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many affordable homes have been built in Battersea since 1997.

Keith Hill: The information requested is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost. However, we understand that there have been 499 affordable housing acquisitions and completions between 1997 and 2001 within the London borough of Wandsworth.

Allotments

Huw Irranca-Davies: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will make a statement on progress with the review of (a) the temporary status of allotments and (b) the 30 year limit relating to allotments.

Keith Hill: These issues were examined by research commissioned by the then Department for Environment, Transport and the Regions and the Local Government Association in 2000, and guidance is provided in the final report "Growing in the community: a good practice guide for the management of allotments". It advises that temporary allotment sites of more than 30-years-old could be re-designated to statutory status on a voluntary basis, however, such sites will not automatically be converted to statutory status.

Allotments

Ben Chapman: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what his Department is doing to promote the wider use and provision of allotments.

Keith Hill: The Government's objectives on public spaces are set out in "Living Places: Cleaner, Safer, Greener" (October 2002). The document contains our proposals for improving the quality of urban green spaces including allotments. Revised planning policy guidance note 17: Open Space, Recreation and Sport (June 2002) provides a more strategic framework for planning for green spaces.
	In addition, the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister has published "Growing in the community: a good practice guide for the management of allotments (2001)", and "Allotments: a plot holders' guide (2002)" to provide advice to allotment authorities and current and potential allotment plot holders.

Allotments

Ben Chapman: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what recent assessment his Department has made of the age range of those who occupy allotment plots.

Keith Hill: No specific assessment has been made of the age range of plot holders.

Allotments

Ben Chapman: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister 
	(1)  how many allotment plots there were in each year since 1973;
	(2)  what statistics he collates on usage of allotment sites.

Keith Hill: The "English Allotments Survey 1997", commissioned by the former Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions, provides estimates of the numbers of allotment plots in England for four specific years. The survey estimates that in 1970, there were 532,964 plots; in 1977, 497,793 plots; in 1978, 479,301 plots; and in 1996, 296,923 plots. The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister has recently announced plans to commission a full update of the English Allotments Survey this year. Disposal of statutory allotments are also administered and monitored by the Government Offices for the regions.

Asthma

Ashok Kumar: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what guidelines have been issued to local authority swimming pools concerning the possible link between chlorinated water and asthma.

Des Browne: I have been asked to reply.
	The Health and Safety Executive have issued general guidance, 'Managing health and safety in swimming pools' (ISBN 0–7176–1388–7). A copy is available in the Library.

Compulsory Purchase

John Randall: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister when he expects the review of compulsory purchase policy to be published.

Keith Hill: The policy statement, "Compulsory Purchase Powers, Procedures and Compensation: The Way Forward", was published on 18 July 2002, copies of which are available in the Library of the House.

Demographics

Andrew George: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many households there were in (a) England, (b) Scotland, (c) Wales and (d) Northern Ireland in each of the last 10 years.

Keith Hill: The information requested is as follows:
	
		Thousand
		
			  Number of households 
			  England Wales Scotland Northern Ireland 
		
		
			 1991 19,213 1,128 2,052 n/a 
			 1992 19,392 1,136 2,067 n/a 
			 1993 19,592 1,146 2,085 n/a 
			 1994 19,818 1,156 2,102 n/a 
			 1995 20,032 1,164 2,119 n/a 
			 1996 20,186 1,170 2,136 n/a 
			 1997 20,364 1,178 2,153 n/a 
			 1998 20,540 1,186 2,170 n/a 
			 1999 20,743 1,190 2,186 n/a 
			 2000 20,972 1,200 2,203 n/a 
			 2001(15) 20,451 1,209 2,192 n/a 
		
	
	(15) Figures are the most recent best estimates from the 2001 Census. Figures up to 2000 are derived from earlier mid-year population estimates, hence the apparent falls in household numbers between 2000 and 2001.

Departmental Policies (Battersea)

Martin Linton: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will make a statement on the impact on the Battersea constituency of his Department's housing and planning policies and actions since April 2001.

Keith Hill: The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister has called in three planning applications in the last two years where it was considered that a planning application conflicts with the guidance and advice on the provision of affordable housing in PPG3—"Housing", and Circular 6/98—"Planning and Affordable Housing". The affordable housing policy in Wandsworth council's draft revised Unitary Development Plan (UDP) has also been objected to.

Growth Area Assessments

Phil Sawford: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister when the three regional planning bodies will complete their growth area assessments in respect of the Milton Keynes and South Midland Study; and when the sub-regional spatial strategy will be published for public consultation.

Keith Hill: The East of England, East Midlands and South East England Regional Assemblies have completed their growth area assessments and have prepared draft alterations to Regional Planning Guidance. These draft alterations have been endorsed by the East Midlands and South East Regional Assemblies and will be considered by the East of England Regional Assembly on 9 July 2003. The Regional Planning Guidance Alterations are due to be launched for public consultation on 18 July 2003.

Housing

Geraldine Smith: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what assessment he has made of the impact (a) redundant guest houses and (b) houses in multiple occupation have on regeneration in (i) coastal resorts and (ii) Morecambe.

Keith Hill: The Government have made no assessment of the impact of redundant guest houses and houses in multiple occupation have on regeneration (i) coastal resorts and (ii) Morecambe.

Housing

Eric Pickles: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what estimate he has made of the number of blocks of multi-storey flats over 10 floors high in England; and where they are located.

Keith Hill: This information requested is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Housing

Eric Pickles: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what estimate he has made of the number of multi-storey blocks that have been demolished and replaced with lower density dwellings in the last five years.

Keith Hill: The information requested is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Local Authority Housing PFI Projects

David Wright: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will make a statement on the implementation of the Local Authority Housing Pathfinder PFI projects.

Keith Hill: Of the eight Local Authority Housing Pathfinder Private Finance Initiative (PFI) projects originally approved, two have so far signed contracts. Manchester city council and the London borough of Islington both signed contracts in March of this year for the refurbishment of council houses and the provision of housing services. Officials are working with the remaining authorities to ensure that further pathfinder projects are signed between now and March 2004. It has been a long process for those involved, but based on their experience, schemes that follow will be able to proceed at a much quicker pace.

Regional Assemblies

David Davis: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what estimate he has made of the cost of conducting regional assembly referendums for (a) the north-east, (b) the north-west and (c) Yorkshire and the Humber; what factors he used to estimate the cost in each case; and if he will break down the cost in each case by factor.

Nick Raynsford: The cost of a referendum will depend on the population of the region concerned, whether there is a traditional ballot vote or an all-postal vote, whether a poll is combined with, for example, local authority elections on the same day and decisions taken by the Electoral Commission on, for example, financial support for the designated "yes" and "no" campaigns. It is therefore too early to make a firm estimate of the costs.
	Assuming a projected cost of £1 per elector, the total cost of a regional referendum would be around £2 million in the north-east, £5 million in the north-west and £4 million in Yorkshire and the Humber.

Regional Assemblies

Philip Hammond: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister whether additional funding will be given to regions which vote in favour of an elected regional assembly as compared to those regions which reject the option of an elected regional assembly.

Nick Raynsford: Chapter 5 of the White Paper, "Your Region, Your Choice: Revitalising the English Regions" (Cm 5511), sets out the funding arrangements for elected assemblies.
	Elected regional assemblies will take responsibilities for programmes that are currently carried out at regional level and their funds will be calculated on the same basis as other regions.
	Government grant will meet part of the administration costs of elected assemblies and extra money will be available to reward elected assemblies which achieve or exceed targets agreed with central Government. This money will not be taken from regions without an elected assembly.

Regional Planning Guidance

Phil Sawford: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many responses have been received by the Government Office East Midlands on the Revised Regional Planning Guidance for the East Midlands from (a) local authorities, (b) health authorities, (c) hon. Members, (d) parish town councils, (e) members of the public, (f) businesses and (g) others.

Keith Hill: In total 216 responses have been received on the Draft Revised Regional Planning Guidance for the East Midlands. The breakdown of responses is:
	(a) Local authorities: 60 responses
	(b) Health authorities: 0 responses
	(c) Hon. Members: One response
	(d) Parish town councils: 43 responses
	(e) Members of the public: 18 responses
	(f) Businesses: 52 responses
	(g) Others: 42 responses

Shared Ownership Schemes

Frank Field: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what plans the Government have to allow owners and tenants of Do-It-Yourself Shared Ownership schemes to gain right to buy discounts when purchasing the full share of their home.

Keith Hill: Shared owners are not eligible for the right to buy scheme for social tenants. The Government have no plans to allow shared owners who purchased their home under the Do-It-Yourself Shared Ownership (DIYSO) scheme to buy further shares in their property with the benefit of a discount equivalent to that provided under the right to buy. Shared owners already benefit from the public subsidy in providing the scheme and pay a subsidised rent.
	However, DIYSO and the right to buy scheme are two of the schemes being examined by the Home Ownership Task Force, that was announced by my right hon. Friend the Deputy Prime Minister in the Sustainable Communities Plan on 5 February 2003. The Task Force is looking at the whole range of programmes aimed at helping people into home ownership. It will examine who is being helped through current initiatives, to what extent these initiatives free up social tenancies for other occupants, and the scope for better targeting and design. The Task Force is expected to report in the autumn.

WORK AND PENSIONS

Asbestosis

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will make a statement on the number of people who are affected by asbestosis.

Des Browne: Disablement benefit awards under the Industrial Injuries Scheme for new cases of asbestosis each year in Great Britain from 1999 to 2001 (the last three years for which data are available) numbered 407, 447 and 461. Deaths in Great Britain with asbestosis specified as the underlying cause of death currently number around 70 per year. Figures for the total number of people suffering from asbestosis at any one time are unavailable.

Asbestos

Vincent Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions pursuant to his answer of 17 June, Official Report, column 155W, on asbestos, if he will list the buildings which have been identified as containing asbestos.

Des Browne: A list of the buildings, which have been identified as containing asbestos, has been placed in the Library. Over the last fifteen years, the Department and its predecessors have been proactive in identifying these buildings and have either sealed or removed the asbestos as necessary.

Attendance Allowance

Steve Webb: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions 
	(1)  if he will estimate the average clearance times for attendance allowance new claims in areas (a) piloting the new claim form and (b) using the standard claim form;
	(2)  how many new attendance allowance claims using the new claim form have been made in pilot areas; and of that number how many were successful;
	(3)  how many applications for reconsideration and appeal against attendance allowance decisions based on new form applications were made in the pilot areas;
	(4)  what evaluation he has made of claimants' views on the new attendance allowance claim form being used in pilot areas; and if he will place a copy of the results in the Library.

Maria Eagle: The new attendance allowance claim form was piloted in one section of Bristol Disability Benefits Centre from March 2002 and extended in September 2002 to all those requesting a claim form from the Disability and Carers Service in the area covered by Bristol DBC. The pilot was further extended to Glasgow DBC in March 2003. The average clearance time 1 for attendance allowance claims processed by Bristol DBC in the period October to December 2002 was 22.6 days. For the same period, the national average clearance time for attendance allowance claims was 24.1 days. The evaluation results of the Glasgow test are not yet available.
	For the period October to December 2002, the breakdown of new claims awards at Bristol was: higher rate—3,160 (35.9 per cent.); lower rate: 3,917 (44.5 per cent.); and disallowed—1,722 (19.6 per cent.). For the corresponding period in 2001, the award rate was: higher rate—3,142 (33.7 per cent.); lower rate—4,500 (48.2 per cent.); and disallowed—1,691 (18.1 per cent.).
	For the period October to December 2002, there were 323 applications for a reconsideration and 124 appeals at Bristol Disability Benefit Centre 2 . For the corresponding period in 2001, the figures were: 352 applications for a reconsideration and 178 appeals.
	A representative sample of customers (374) was contacted to obtain their views about the new claim form. Results show that 75 per cent. found the form easy to complete and that 25 per cent. did not. Of those that found the form easy to complete (282), 57 had no help to complete the form; 123 had help from family and friends; and 123 received help from various external agencies. Of the 25 per cent. (92) who experienced difficulty, 15 completed the form unaided; 46 were assisted by family and friends; and 31 received help from various external agencies. There is no comparable data for customer perception of the previous claim form. We will ensure that a copy of the final analysis of the pilot is placed in the Library when the evaluation is complete.
	1 We are unable to provide separate data for claims decided using the new claim form, as they are not treated separately from the rest of the new claims upon receipt. From September 2002, approximately 96 per cent. of new claims were made using the new claim form. The figures reflect all new claims in areas using the new claim pack as well as the old one, which remains available externally.
	2 Reconsiderations reduced by 8.2 per cent. in the test and appeals by 33.3 per cent. National comparisons for the same period showed a marginal increase in reconsiderations by 1.8 per cent. and a decrease in appeals of 3.8 per cent.

Benefits

Steve Webb: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what assumed rate of income from savings is used to establish eligibility for (a) minimum income guarantee and (b) pension credit; and if he will make a statement.

Malcolm Wicks: Under pension credit the assumed rate of income from savings will be set at £1 in £500 for savings above £6,000. This is half the rate currently assumed in the minimum income guarantee (MIG) of £1 in £250. In addition, this assumed income will be rewarded. Overall this means that savings will be treated five times more generously than under MIG.

Disability Living Allowance

Steve Webb: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what evaluation he has made of the new disability living allowance claim form being used in the Glasgow pilot area; and if he will place a copy of the result in the Library.

Maria Eagle: The trial at Glasgow has a broader scope than simply a test of a new disability living allowance claim form. It aims to test a shortened claim form that is personalised to the needs of the customer and a revised process for determining claims which is supported by a new prototype IT system. This enables customers to receive fuller information about the basis of the decisions made. The full test started in January of this year and the evaluation work is scheduled to be complete by September 2003. Once this work has been finalised, we will ensure that a copy of the findings are placed in the Library.

Health and Safety

Brian Cotter: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many reported workplace incidents have taken place in the construction industry in each year since 1997; and if he will make a statement.

Des Browne: holding answer 1 July 2003
	The following table shows the number of reported injury incidents (divided between fatal and non-fatal) that have arisen in the construction industry since 1997.
	
		
			  1997–98 1998–99 1999–2000 2000–01 2001–02 
		
		
			 Fatal injuries 86 68 87 113 85 
			 Non-fatal injuries 14,930 14,610 15,656 14,820 14,671 
		
	
	The following table shows the number of reported dangerous occurrences in the construction industry since 1997.
	
		
			  1997–98 1998–99 1999–2000 2000–01 2001–02 
		
		
			 Dangerous occurrences 966 1,153 1,245 1,228 1,075 
		
	
	Through the Construction Priority programme the Health and Safety Executive is seeking to secure improvements in the industry's health and safety record.

Hepatitis C (Scotland)

Annabelle Ewing: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what representations he has received from (a) the First Minister of Scotland and (b) the Secretary of State for Scotland since 13 June 2003 concerning the compensation of hepatitis C victims in Scotland.

Des Browne: holding answer 7 July 2003
	My right hon. Friend has regular contact with both the First Minister of the Scottish Executive and my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Scotland on a number of issues.

Incapacity Benefit

David Willetts: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions 
	(1)  how many claimants of (a) incapacity benefit and (b) severe disablement allowance who moved into work in 2001–02 registered for the 52 week linking rule; and how many of them reclaimed benefit under the terms of the rule in the following 52 weeks;
	(2)  what assessment he has made of the incentive effect of the 52 week linking rule for incapacity benefit and severe disablement allowance claimants.

Des Browne: We are ensuring that the benefit system encourages and promotes work where possible. In 1998 we extended linking rules to cover 52 weeks (2 years for people receiving disabled persons tax credit/working tax credit). During the consultation on the Green Paper 'Pathways to Work' (CM 5690) we received a number of comments on the operation of these rules. Some respondents felt that this provision was difficult to access and in light of these comments, we will ease the notification process to allow people to notify the department over the phone when they start work. The information is in the table.
	
		People with incapacity benefit (IB) and severe disablement allowance (SDA) claims ending in the period shown with the reason given as a return to work, and those who subsequently reclaimed benefit within 52 weeks
		
			  People with IB/SDA claims ending between 1 March 2001 and 28 February 2002, with the reason given as a return to work People subsequently reclaiming IB/SDA within 52 weeks 
		
		
			 Incapacity benefit 25,300 2,400 
			 Severe disablement allowance 800 (16)100 
		
	
	(16) Numbers are based on a very few sample cases; they are therefore subject to a high degree of sampling error and should be used as a guide to the current situation only.
	Note:
	Figures are rounded to the nearest hundred.
	Source:
	5 per cent. samples of the incapacity benefit computer system, which exclude a small number of cases held clerically.

Incapacity Benefit

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will list the 100 wards in the UK with the highest number of people on Incapacity Benefit.

Maria Eagle: The information has been placed in the Library.

Jobcentre Plus (Wales)

Elfyn Llwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions 
	(1)  if he will list the Jobcentre Plus centres it is intended to open in North Wales; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  how many Jobcentre Plus centres have been opened in Wales.

Des Browne: The administration of Jobcentre Plus is a matter for the Chief Executive of the Jobcentre Plus, David Anderson. He will write to the hon. Member.
	Letter from David Anderson to Mr. Llwyd dated, July 2003
	As Jobcentre Plus is an Executive Agency, the Secretary of State has asked me to reply to your question concerning the opening of Jobcentre Plus offices in Wales. This is something that falls within the responsibilities delegated to me as Chief Executive of the Agency.
	We are progressively extending the new integrated Jobcentre Plus office network across Great Britain over the next three years. These offices are delivering a single, integrated service to people of working age, with a clear focus on work. They provide an active and responsive service to help people find jobs, and give advice on the full range of help and support available to them.
	During 2002–03, we successfully introduced the Jobcentre Plus model in eighteen offices across Bridgend Rhondda Cynon Taff and South East Wales districts. As part of our plans to extend the new integrated Jobcentre Plus model throughout Wales, we will be implementing Jobcentre Plus in North West Wales and Powys district during 2003–04. Our current plan is to complete the rollout of Jobcentre Plus across Wales by early 2006.
	The District Manager is currently working on the detailed plans for the North West Wales and Powys district. At this stage, I cannot confirm the exact locations for Jobcentre Plus offices as this is subject to the current planning and consultation process. The District Manager wrote to you, other local MPs, Assembly Members, staff, trade unions and other local stakeholders on 14 February to inform you of his proposals and to seek your comments on them.
	I hope this is helpful.

KPMG

Peter Kilfoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many contracts his Department has awarded to KPMG since 1997.

Maria Eagle: From the establishment of the Department for Work and Pensions in 2001–02, the Department has let five contracts to KPMG under its management consultancy framework agreements. Before April 2001 contracts were awarded by Executive Agencies of the then DSS and by the Employment Service as Executive Agency of the then Department for Education and Employment. Information about these contracts was not collated centrally and could not now be obtained without incurring disproportionate cost.

Lost Working Days

Steve Webb: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions pursuant to his Answer of 17 June 2003, Official Report, column 157W, on lost working days, if he will provide a breakdown for days lost through (a) sickness and (b) other reasons.

Maria Eagle: Pursuant to my written answer on 17 June 2003, Official Report, column 157W, the figures provided were for the average days lost per person through sick absence only.
	Information on the average days lost for other reasons is in the table. The information is based on the number of staff in post on the 31 of March in each year.
	
		
			  Average number of days lost per person 
			 Reason 1 April 2001 to31 March 2002 1 April 2002 to31 March 2003 
		
		
			 Unauthorised 2.16 0.23 
			 Paid special leave 0.78 0.80 
			 Unpaid special leave(17) 7.93 7.86 
			 Maternity leave 3.30 3.54 
		
	
	(17) Includes staff on career breaks.

Means-tested Benefits

Norman Lamb: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will make a statement on the extent of delays in processing claims for means-tested benefits.

Malcolm Wicks: Targets for clearance times for both income support and jobseeker's allowance new claims is 12 days, while the target for actioning income support changes of circumstances is four days. The latest statistical information available confirms that on average these targets are being met. The average clearance time for a new claim to income support is 10.39 days and for jobseeker's allowance 10.71 days. The average clearance time for income support change of circumstances is 2.40 days.
	Statistics on actual clearance times indicate that 76.19 per cent. of all income support claims are cleared within the 12-day target with 91.78 per cent. of jobseeker's allowance claims cleared within the same period.
	The target for clearance of a minimum income guarantee claim is 10 days while the target for actioning minimum income guarantee changes of circumstances is four days. The latest statistical information available confirms clearance time of 12.4 days for minimum income guarantee claims and 3.5 for minimum income guarantee changes of circumstances.

Mental Health

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions 
	(1)  what help is available under the benefits system for those who are recovering from mental health problems and who wish to enter work; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  what evaluation is being undertaken of pilots on access to employment for people recovering from mental health problems; and if he will make a statement.

Maria Eagle: We are ensuring that the benefit system encourages and promotes work where possible, and provides greater security for those for whom work is not an option. We also have a wide range of programmes such as WORKSTEP that have proved successful in helping people with disabilities, including mental health problems, secure work where they are ready and able to do so.
	The new permitted work rules, introduced from April 2002, provide a stepping stone to full-time work for people receiving incapacity benefit (IB). Anyone claiming IB can now work for up to and including £20 a week for an unlimited period, or work for less than 16 hours a week and earn up to and including £67.50 a week for 26 weeks. People with conditions that may be unlikely to improve over time, such as those with severe mental health problems, will continue to be able to work and earn up to £67.50 a week for as long as they are receiving IB. People on incapacity benefits can also do as much voluntary work as they like without affecting their benefit entitlement.
	These arrangements have enabled people with many different disability-related barriers to work, including those with mental illness, to move successfully into jobs. However, there are a number of initiatives and pilots taking place looking at improving access to employment and job retention for people with a range of health conditions, including mental health.
	The Incapacity Benefit Reform Pilots, due to start in October 2003, aim to provide a range of help to people with health conditions to move off benefits through achieving sustained employment. An independent evaluation of each pilot will be conducted using a range of methodologies. Each evaluation will assess the overall impact of each pilot, and will also provide a range of quantitative and qualitative data on the success of each pilot in helping those with mental health conditions to gain and retain employment.

Pension Credit

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what criteria are used to select those pensioners to whom his Department plans to write about the introduction of pension credit before October.

Malcolm Wicks: The Pension Service has begun to write to pensioner households to explain pension credit and to invite applications. The order in which households are contacted has been designed to produce a controlled build up of applications, evenly distributed throughout the UK. The households to be contacted before October represent a cross section of the pensioner population, including pensioners of all age groups and likely levels of eligibility for pension credit. By June 2004, all pensioner households will have been contacted. All those who apply before October 2004, if they are entitled, will receive payment as though they had claimed at the very start, or to the first day they could have qualified if this is later.

Pension Credit

Steve Webb: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will estimate the number of people eligible to receive pension credit; and what take-up targets his Department has been set.

Malcolm Wicks: I refer the hon. Member to the written answer I gave him on 30 June, Official Report, column 83–4W.

Pension Credit

Steve Webb: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions which Departmental Information Technology system will be used to support pension credit; and if he will make a statement.

Malcolm Wicks: Pension Credit will be paid through the Income Support Computer System. This is a tried and tested system that currently pays the minimum income guarantee to 1.8 million pensioners. It has been enhanced to enable it to handle Pension Credit.

Pension Credit

Steve Webb: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions for what reason the Pension Service will be writing to every pensioner household about the pension credit between April 2003 and October 2003, as referred to on page 2 of the June 2003 edition of the Appeals Service External Newsletter.

Malcolm Wicks: The statement in the Appeals Service External Newsletter to which the hon. Member refers is incorrect. The Pension Service began to send mail packs about pension credit to pensioner households in April 2003 and will complete this process by June 2004. People currently in receipt of the minimum income guarantee were informed at the beginning of this year that they will be converted automatically to pension credit. Online versions of the newsletter are now correct. A correction will also appear in the next edition of the newsletter, to be published in September.

Pension Credit

Steve Webb: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how he will identify the names and addresses of men aged between 60 and 64 when distributing pension credit personal direct mail packs.

Malcolm Wicks: The names and addresses of men aged between 60 and 64 have been identified from data held by the Department, in the same way as those of other people who may be entitled to pension credit.

Pension Service

Norman Lamb: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions 
	(1)  how many telephone calls on average have been received per day by (a) the Norwich Pension Service office and (b) Pension Service offices across the UK in the last three months;
	(2)  what the average length of time for completion of a new claim for means-tested benefits is (a) at the Norwich Pension Service office, (b) at the Pension Service broken down by county and (c) across the UK;
	(3)  what the average length of time is for written correspondence relating to claims for means-tested benefits to be dealt with by (a) the Norwich Pension Service office and (b) Pension Service offices across the UK.

Malcolm Wicks: The customer service standards have been published in The Pension Service Business Plan. They have been set to ensure pensioners receive their entitlements on time.
	Across England, Scotland and Wales the average number of calls received per day in the last three months was 65,546 and at Norwich pension centre 2,554.
	The average length of time for completion of a minimum income guarantee claim by Norwich Pension Centre is 16.4 days and across England, Scotland and Wales is 12.4 days. Figures are not held by county as the Pension Service is organised by Government Office regions.
	The average length of time for completion of correspondence relating to claims for minimum income guarantee by Norwich Pension Centre is 5.3 days and across England, Scotland and Wales is 3.5 days.
	Our aim is to continue to improve the service we provide and to balance telephony and processing performance.

Poverty

Claire Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will make a statement on the impact of the (a) minimum income guarantee and (b) pension credit on pensioner poverty.

Malcolm Wicks: The Government wants all pensioners to have a decent and secure income in retirement. The Minimum Income Guarantee (MIG), introduced in April 1999, has boosted the income of the poorest pensioners. Since April 2003 a single pensioner is nearly £18 a week better off in real terms than in 1997 from the MIG rises. A pensioner couple is nearly £28 a week better off. We also want everyone who is entitled to this help to get it now, and as a result of our national MIG take up campaign over 150,000 pensioners are £20 a week better off.
	Pension Credit when it is introduced in October 2003 will go even further and for the first time reward, not penalise, those pensioners who have saved for their retirement. Pensioner households entitled to Pension Credit will be £400 a year better off on average. Following the introduction of Pension Credit the average pensioner household will be over £1,250 a year better off than in 1997 due to the Governments personal tax and benefit changes. To ensure maximum take up of Pension Credit we are writing to pensioner households to explain Pension Credit and invite applications. In addition around 1.8 million people in receipt of the Minimum Income Guarantee have been advised they will be transferred automatically to Pension Credit. There will also be regional and national TV and press advertising.

Senior Departmental Posts

Annabelle Ewing: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many senior departmental posts were advertised in each year since June 1999; and how many of those were advertised in the Scottish press.

Maria Eagle: Senior posts are defined as those posts that are covered by open competition to the senior civil service.
	The Department for Work and Pensions was formed on 8 June 2001 from parts of the former Department of Social Security and parts of the former Department for Education and Employment. The figures prior to 8 June 2001 are in the table and relate to the Department of Social Security only.
	
		
			  Number of posts externally advertised 
		
		
			 June 1999 to March 2000 3 
			 April 2000 to March 2001 7 
			 April 2001 to March 2002 11 
			 April 2002 to March 2003 29 
			 April 2003 to June 2003 5 
		
	
	None of the adverts were placed in specific Scottish newspapers as the circulation of the national press includes Scotland.

Stakeholder Schemes

Steve Webb: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will estimate the number of companies which, under the regulations introduced on 8 October 2001, (a) are obliged to provide and (b) have so far failed to offer access to a stakeholder scheme; and what plans he has to ensure that employers who have not complied with the requirement to offer a stakeholder scheme do so.

Malcolm Wicks: We estimate that around 350,000 employers are required to provide their staff with access to a stakeholder pension scheme. Latest data from the Association of British Insurers show that 344,983 employers had designated a stakeholder pension scheme by the end of March 2003. This indicates a compliance rate in excess of 90 per cent.
	The Occupational Pensions Regulatory Authority (OPRA) is responsible for regulating compliance with the workplace access requirements for stakeholder pension schemes. OPRA follows up all reports to it of non-compliance and will take action where compliance has not been achieved. OPRA also takes action to seek out non-compliance through surveys of employers, and by following up any employers that it knows, through its general pension duties, have closed down their company scheme and may therefore become required to offer staff access to a stakeholder pension scheme.

Stress

Henry Bellingham: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions 
	(1)  what regulatory impact assessment his Department has made of the Health and Safety Executive's new code of conduct on stress at work;
	(2)  what estimate his Department has made of the cost to business of compliance with the Health and Safety Executive's code of conduct to combat stress in (a) financial terms and (b) lost man hours.

Des Browne: The Health and Safety Executive have not launched a new code of conduct on stress at work. On 16 June 2003, they published draft management standards on work related stress seeking feedback to inform their development. They are currently being piloted and the final standards will be published after consultation. The standards will be a voluntary yardstick by which employers can measure how well they are managing stress in the workplace. Information collected during the consultation phase will be used to inform development of the Regulatory Impact Assessment.

Sustainable Development

Paul Holmes: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what assessment is made (a) of the environmental impact and (b) against sustainable development criteria of bids for grants awarded by his Department; who makes any such assessment; and whether these assessments are published.

Maria Eagle: Although the Department for Work and Pensions provides grants in-aid to certain third parties such as the Occupational Pensions Regulatory Authority (OPRA), the Disability Rights Commission, Independent Living Fund and Motability, it does not issue grants which are open to the external bidding process other than those made to individual benefit recipients as part of social security provision. The specific nature of the Department's grants make it inappropriate to conduct any assessments of environmental impact or sustainable development criteria.

Winter Fuel Payments

Alan Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will estimate his Department's expenditure on winter fuel payments over the last five years; and what money was made available for investment in programmes to achieve affordable warmth over the same period.

Malcolm Wicks: The information is in the table.
	
		Expenditure on Winter Fuel Payments in Great Britain over the past five years -- £ million (cash)
		
			 Winter Expenditure 
		
		
			 1998–99 194 
			 1999–2000 759 
			 2000–01 1,749 
			 2001–02 1,692 
			 2002–03 1,712 
		
	
	The UK Fuel Poverty Strategy sets out a wide range of programmes to contribute to tackling fuel poverty by improving the comfort of vulnerable households. These include Warm Front and the Energy Efficiency Commitment 2002–05 under which energy suppliers must focus 50 per cent. of their energy saving target on low-income families.
	In England, the main Government expenditure is through the Home Energy Efficiency Scheme, now marketed as Warm Front. It is estimated that from April 1998 to March 2003, approximately £577 million has been spent on Warm Front grants. Similar schemes operate in Scotland and Wales.

Winter Fuel Payments

Alan Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will estimate the cost of extending the winter fuel payment to the poorest and most vulnerable households who qualify for cold weather payments; and whether his Department plans such a measure.

Malcolm Wicks: Most people receiving income support including minimum income guarantee or income-based jobseeker's allowance who are aged 60 or over already receive winter fuel payments.
	If winter fuel payments were extended to other people who meet the criteria for cold weather payments, regardless of whether the temperature fell low enough to trigger payment of a cold weather payment to that household, the additional annual cost would be around £300 million.
	We have no plans to extend the winter fuel payment scheme.
	Note:
	Figure rounded to nearest £50 million and calculated from administrative data.

Winter Fuel Payments

Alan Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what plans he has to transform the winter fuel payments into a universal benefit; and if he will make a statement.

Malcolm Wicks: The winter fuel payment scheme was introduced to help the most vulnerable older people meet their heating costs during the winter months. The payments are already available to almost all people aged 60 or over.

Workplace Health and Safety

Tom Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will make a statement on steps being taken by his Department to reduce the number of (a) deaths and (b) injuries suffered by working people at their place of employment.

Des Browne: The 'Revitalising Health and Safety' strategy encourages people to work together to achieve significant reductions in the incidence of injury and ill health in the workplace. It sets targets to be achieved by 2004 to:
	reduce the number of working days lost by 15 per cent.
	reduce the rate of cases of work-related ill health by 10 per cent.
	reduce the rate of fatalities of major injuries by 5 per cent.
	achieve double these improvements by 2010.
	Work being done includes concentrating on eight priority programmes, identified as the greatest causes of work-related deaths, injuries and illness, and the sectors with the worst health and safety records. In addition, HSC/E is working in partnership with organisations, to promote innovative activities. One such initiative is the food sector's 'Recipe for Safety' where accident levels have fallen by more than 24 per cent. over 12 years.
	Further details of work will be available in the Business Plan for 2003–04. A copy will be placed in the Library when it is published later this year.

NORTHERN IRELAND

Absenteeism

Peter Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what the average level of staff absenteeism was in each of the Northern Ireland Departments in (a) 2001–02 and (b) 2002–03.

Ian Pearson: A detailed analysis of sick absence rates for non-industrial staff in the 11 Northern Ireland Departments for 2001–02 has already been published and is accessible on the Department of Finance and Personnel's website at: www.dfpni.gov.uk/publications. The statistics for 2002–03 are not yet available. Comparable figures for industrial civil servants are not held centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate costs.

Civil Service

Nigel Dodds: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what proportion of people employed at each grade of the Northern Ireland civil service are (a) Protestants, (b) Roman Catholics and (c) neither Protestant nor Roman Catholic.

Ian Pearson: I would refer the hon. Member to Appendix 1 of the 8th Report of the Equal Opportunities Unit, a copy of which is in the Library.

Departmental Report

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what the cost was of the publication of the 2001 Departmental Report.

Paul Murphy: The cost of the publication of the 2001 Northern Ireland Office Departmental Report (excluding staff time in preparation of data) was £6641.18.

Disability Rights

Nigel Dodds: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what progress has been made in ensuring full accessibility for people with disabilities to Government Offices in Northern Ireland.

Ian Pearson: A programme of works is under way that aims to ensure that both the Northern Ireland civil service and Northern Ireland Office office estates are compliant with the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 by October 2004; this will include full accessibility for people with disabilities, including both staff and members of the public.

East Down Institute of Further andHigher Education

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on the long-term future of the East Down Institute of Further and Higher Education centre in Kircubbin.

Jane Kennedy: Any decision on the future of Kircubbin centre is entirely a matter for the Governing Body of East Down Institute of Further and Higher Education, which must take decisions in light of its financial responsibilities. The Institute has advised that it is committed to continuing to provide a range of provision at its Kircubbin centre.

EU Peace Initiative

Eddie McGrady: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland which groups, organisations and bodies have benefited from funding from the Peace I and Peace II programmes since 1996 in the constituency of South Down; what financial amounts were allocated to each group; for what projects; from which sectors of the Special European Union Programme for Peace and Reconciliation funding came; and what sums were provided.

Ian Pearson: The information requested will be placed in the House of Commons Library.

Individual Learning Account

Kevin McNamara: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list the five top earning providers from the individual learning accounts scheme in Northern Ireland, and the amount paid to each organisation.

Jane Kennedy: Provider Amount Paid (£) 
		
		
			 ITT Consultancy, Belfast 319,581 
			 Fermanagh Training Ltd, Enniskillen 297,300 
			 CTRS Community College, Enniskillen 217,040 
			 Marketlink Europe Ltd, Chester 210,682 
			 Pitman Training (Savage and Company), Belfast 174,479

Inward Investment

Peter Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what plans there are to attract further inward investment projects to East Belfast.

Ian Pearson: Internationally, Invest Northern Ireland promotes and markets the Northern Ireland business proposition as a whole. While the siting of investments is ultimately a decision for investing companies, Invest NI does make use of incentive packages to promote investment into Targeting Social Need (TSN) areas.
	In recent years the shift in Foreign Direct Investment flows towards service industries has increasingly focused new investment on metropolitan areas, in particular the central business areas of regional cities, and this has resulted in major investments in Belfast along the River Lagan, most of it in the financial services sector.
	It is planned that a number of important high profile business delegations from the United States and elsewhere will visit Belfast between now and the end of 2003 and areas of East Belfast such as the Titanic Quarter and the Northern Ireland Science Park will feature prominently in their programmes. These exciting new developments in East Belfast will further increase the attractiveness of this constituency as a location for investors.

Job Losses (County Fermanagh)

Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many jobs have been lost in County Fermanagh in the last five years.

Ian Pearson: It is not possible to determine the number of jobs lost in County Fermanagh However in the last five years, there have been 1,022 redundancies confirmed to the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Investment in the Enniskillen Job Centre Area.
	Over the five-year period May 1998 to May 2003 the number of claimants in Fermanagh District Council Area fell from 2,274 to 1,566 (31.1 per cent.). The claimant count rate fell by 2.4 percentage points (from 6.9 per cent. to 4.5 per cent.) over the same period.

Prisoners (Early Release)

Jimmy Wray: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many terrorist prisoners have been released since the Good Friday Agreement; and how many have since been re-arrested.

Jane Kennedy: To date (25 June 2003), 447 prisoners convicted of scheduled offences have been released early under the Good Friday Agreement.
	Details are not held centrally regarding the numbers of these persons re-arrested—information is held in relation to those charged with criminal offences while they were on licence. 33 licensees have been charged with further offences committed during their licence period.

Universities

Peter Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many (a) academics and (b) other staff were employed by (i) the Queens University of Belfast and (ii) the University of Ulster, broken down by gender, within the salary bands (A) less than £20,000, (B) £20,000 to £29,999, (C) £30,000 to £39,999, (D) £40,000 to £49,999, (E) £50,000 to £59,999, (F) £60,000 and above in the last five financial years.

Jane Kennedy: Information on academic and academic related staff employed at Queen's University, Belfast and the University of Ulster is collected and provided to the Department for Employment and Learning by the Higher Education Statistical Agency (HESA). Information on non-academic staff is not available within the Department. Information on salary bands is provided by HESA in a format which relates to academic years.
	The attached tables provide salary information of academic and academic related staff employed over the last five academic years.

Universities

Peter Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many university places were available in Northern Ireland in 2002–03; how many students left Northern Ireland for universities (a) elsewhere in the UK, (b) in the Irish Republic and (c) in Europe in 2002–03; and how many students took a university placement in Northern Ireland from (i) elsewhere in the UK, (ii) the Irish Republic and (iii) the rest of Europe.

Jane Kennedy: The Department for Employment and Learning sets an annual upper limit, known as the Maximum Student Number (MaSN) on the number of home and EU students who may be enrolled on full-time undergraduate courses and on postgraduate courses of initial teacher training (ITT). The MaSN does not, however, apply to non-EU overseas full-time undergraduate students or those for whom a National Health Bursary may be payable. For 2002–03, the combined MaSN total for the Northern Ireland universities was 22,941, including a 1 per cent. flexibility margin.
	The only Departmental constraint on postgraduate places applies to those applying for postgraduate awards.
	There is no prescribed limit on part-time undergraduate places.
	Information on the take up of places in 2002–03 will not be available within the Department until mid-December 2003.

Town Centres (Regeneration)

Peter Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on the strategy for the regeneration of town centres.

John Spellar: The Department for Social Development is preparing a Town Centre Reinvigoration Strategy which will aim to create attractive and distinctive town centres that will be a source of civic pride, accessible to all and the location for a wide range of retail, service, administrative, residential, leisure and cultural facilities for surrounding urban and rural communities. The Strategy will address this aim by:
	improving the co-ordination of public policies that impact on town centres;
	offering incentives that will stimulate development in town centres; and
	putting in place the administrative arrangements that will make sure the policies and incentives actually deliver better town centres.
	The Strategy will be part of a comprehensive approach to regeneration that also aims to renew the most disadvantaged neighbourhoods and increase social cohesion. To this end, the town centre reinvigoration strategy will be closely linked to the Strategy for Neighbourhood Renewal, which was published on 24 June 2003.
	The Department for Social Development has set a target of publishing the Town Centre Reinvigoration Strategy by March 2004.

World Summit on Sustainable Development

John Horam: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland which United Kingdom commitments arising from the World Summit on Sustainable Development (a) have been incorporated into the Department's existing delivery plan for Service Delivery Agreements and (b) will be incorporated in its delivery plan for Service Delivery Agreements in advance of the 2004 Spending Review.

Paul Murphy: The Programme for Government of the Northern Ireland Office and the Northern Ireland Executive included acknowledgement of, and commitment to, Sustainable Development issues and this has been reflected in the 2002/03 Service Delivery Agreements of the Northern Ireland Office and individual Northern Ireland departments.
	Although the devolved institutions are currently suspended the overall policy and practice of reflecting sustainable development issues and commitments continues under the current interim arrangements.

HEALTH

Drug Rehabilitation

John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment methodology is used to measure the value of money given by residential rehabilitation for drug addicts.

Melanie Johnson: This information is not currently available. Residential rehabilitation has been shown to be one of a number of effective forms of drug treatment but it is particularly difficult to identify and compare outcome measures for chronic, relapsing disorders. In trying to evaluate value for money a range of factors need to be considered that acknowledge the complexity of harms and the natural history of the disorders.
	The National Treatment Agency for Substance Misuse (NTA) is investigating this issue and will be publishing guide costs for different types of treatment service in due course.

AIDS

Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what research he has commissioned on the likelihood of passing on the AIDS virus through sexual intercourse while wearing a condom; and if he will make a statement.

Melanie Johnson: holding answer 7 July 2003
	High quality, systematic review of the evidence relating to condom effectiveness has shown that consistent use of condoms is highly effective in preventing transmission of HIV 1 . On the strength of this evidence we have not felt it necessary to commission additional research. We do recognise, however, that factors such as condom failure mean that condoms do not provide 100 per cent. protection from infection, but when used correctly, they can substantially reduce the risk. Advice on the effective use of condoms is, therefore, provided through our national sexual health promotion and HIV prevention activities.
	1 Weller S. Davis K. Condom effectiveness in reducing heterosexual HIV transmission (Cochrane Review). In: The Cochrane Library, Issue 2, 2003. Oxford: Update Software; National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. Workshop Summary: Scientific Evidence on Condom Effectiveness for Sexually Transmitted Disease (STD) Prevention. July 20, 2001—http://www.niaid.nih.gov/dmid/stds/condomreport.pdf

Cockle Industry

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the Food Standards Agency decision to restrict the operations of the cockle industry.

Melanie Johnson: The Food Standards Agency (FSA)'s monitoring programme to detect marine biotoxins in shellfish, including cockles, exists to protect public health. The toxins which are tested have the potential to cause illness, which in some cases may be serious or life-threatening. The DSP test is approved as the standard reference method and is widely used in Europe.
	Temporary Prohibition Orders (TPOs), are placed on beds where tests for shellfish biotoxins are positive. Affected areas remain closed until two consecutive negative test results taken a week apart are observed.
	Atypical results in tests for DSP have been observed in some samples of cockles and mussels in England, Wales and Northern Ireland since 2001. The FSA has put in place a programme of research work to investigate the cause of the atypical response to the DSP test and to assess its implications for human health. In the meantime, on the basis that the affected shellfish produce neurological symptoms that lead to death in mice within a few minutes, the FSA considers that the shellfish could be harmful and recommends the placing of TPOs on the affected beds in line with standard practice for known biotoxins. The FSA is keeping this policy under review and will use findings from the research work to determine whether its existing policy should be maintained. It expects most of the research to be completed later this summer.
	The majority of harvesting areas are open most of the time. In order to reduce the impact of the temporary cockle-bed closures on fishermen, while still protecting public health, the FSA has divided harvesting areas into zones, so that harvesting can continue from beds where tests results are negative.

Commission forPublic Patient Involvement in Health

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to extend the duty of consultation on NHS bodies to the Commission for Public Patient Involvement in Health.

Rosie Winterton: There are no plans to extend the duty on the national health service to involve and consult the public, as contained in section 11 of the Health and Social Care Act 2001, to the Commission for Patient and Public Involvement in Health (CPPIH). The CPPIH is not a NHS body and, as it is not responsible for the delivery of any health services, such a duty would not be appropriate. However, we do expect the CPPIH to seek a wide range of views to inform its work when appropriate.

Commission for Social Care Inspection

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what guidance he will issue regarding the Commission for Social Care Inspection and the Audit Commission co-operating with each other with respect to the exercise of their respective functions under Clause 79 of the Health and Social Care (Community Health and Standards) Bill.

Stephen Ladyman: The Commission for Social Care Inspection and the Audit Commission are expected to co-operate effectively in the exercise of their respective functions. In the event that this is not the case, the Secretary of State will use the power to give them guidance, to the extent necessary in the circumstances.

Condoms

Paul Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the reliability of condoms in preventing (a) the spread of sexual diseases and (b) pregnancy.

Melanie Johnson: A high quality, systematic review of the evidence relating to condom effectiveness has shown that consistent use of condoms is highly effective in preventing pregnancy and transmission of many sexually transmitted infections, including HIV, gonorrhoea and chlamydia 1 . Condoms, when used consistently and correctly are estimated to be up to 99 per cent. effective in preventing pregnancy and 80 per cent. effective in reducing HIV incidence 2 . As a result the promotion of condom usage is strongly encouraged as a risk reduction strategy through the Department of Health's sexual health promotion activities.
	1 (Weller S, Davis K Condom effectiveness in reducing heterosexual HIV transmission (Cochrane Review). In: The Cochane Library, Issue 2, 2003. Oxford: Update Software; National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. Workshop Summary: Scientific Evidence on Condom Effectiveness for Sexually Transmitted Disease (STD) Prevention. July 20, 2001 http://www.niaid.nih.gov/dmid/stds/condomreport.pdf. 2 (Weller S., Davis K. Condom effectiveness in reducing heterosexual HIV transmission (Cochrane Review). In: The Cochane Library, Issue 2, 2003. Oxford: Update Software).

Cystic Fibrosis

Stephen Hepburn: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  how many people suffered from cystic fibrosis in (a) 1980, (b) 1990, (c) 2000 and (d) 2003;
	(2)  how many people suffered from cystic fibrosis in (a) England, (b) Tyne and Wear, (c) South Tyneside and (d) the Jarrow constituency in (i) 1980, (ii) 1990, (iii) 2000 and (iv) 2003;
	(3)  what percentage of the population suffers from cystic fibrosis;
	(4)  what the average life expectancy is of a sufferer of cystic fibrosis; and what it was in (a) 1980, (b) 1990 and (c) 2000.

Stephen Ladyman: Information on the incidence of individual conditions like cystic fibrosis is not collected centrally. Research evidence however, shows that around one child in 2,500 is affected by this condition. Separate information is not available for Tyne and Wear, South Tyneside and Jarrow.
	Children born with cystic fibrosis do not have a normal life expectancy, though it is improving all the time. Currently, the average survival is more than 30 years, but with the best treatment, children have a greater than 80 per cent. chance of living into their late forties.

Cystic Fibrosis

Stephen Hepburn: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much does the NHS spend on cystic fibrosis in 2002–03; and how much this was expressed as a sum per head of population.

Stephen Ladyman: The information requested is not collected centrally. Primary care trusts (PCTs) receive unified allocations to cover the costs of hospital and community health services. The level of funding made available for cystic fibrosis is therefore a local decision. It is for PCTs, in partnership with strategic health authorities and other local stakeholders, to determine how best to use their funds.

Fluoridation

Ashok Kumar: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the use of fluoridation as a public health measure to combat dental health problems; and which areas have been identified for possible fluoridation.

Melanie Johnson: The Government wishes to empower health communities to make well-informed choices about improving oral health including the option of deciding whether to fluoridate their water. We are particularly attracted by the potential fluoridation offers for reducing inequalities in oral health. The Chief Medical Officer and Chief Dental Officer are considering the implications of the recent Medical Research Council report, "Water Fluoridation and Health", for the development of Government policy on fluoridation. It would be for primary care trusts and strategic health authorities (SHAs) to decide whether to consult on fluoridation. New schemes could be introduced only where a majority of the population were in favour.
	The Government have received representations from the water industry, requesting that the legislation on fluoridation be amended to make SHAs solely responsible for deciding, where their populations are in favour, that a new fluoridation scheme should be introduced. We tabled a relevant amendment to the Water Bill on 2 July 2003, for debate on 9 July before third reading of the Bill in another place.

Food Supplements

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what his policy is on food supplements with reference to safety and labelling; and what actions he intends to take to ensure that his policy objectives for the regulation of food supplements are met within the European Union regulatory framework.

Melanie Johnson: The Government are firmly committed to the view that, in the interests of consumer choice, the law should allow food supplements that are safe and properly labelled to be freely marketed.
	The Government, represented by the Food Standards Agency, is pressing the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) for an urgent, substantive meeting with relevant parties to discuss dossier requirements and expects a positive response soon. The European Commission supports this move. The objectives of such a meeting would be to explain problems faced by the UK food supplements industry resulting from the omission of nutrients and nutrient sources from the Annexes to the Food Supplements Directive; and to explore the potential for simplified dossiers to be presented for vitamin and mineral sources with a long history of safe use and the potential for read-across between dossiers for substances which are likely to have similar toxicological profiles.
	The Government continue to press its view on maximum limits in the European Union at every opportunity. That is that maximum limits for nutrients in food supplements should be based on risk assessment and set at levels which protect public health, but which neither unnecessarily limit consumer choice nor unduly restrict trade.

Food Supplements

Brian Iddon: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he will reply to the letter from the hon. Member for Bolton, South-East, dated 24 March, to the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State on the Food Supplements Directive.

Melanie Johnson: A reply was sent to the hon. Member on Friday 4 July.

Food Supplements

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what research he has commissioned into the effect of the Food Supplements Directive on British (a) manufacturers, (b) suppliers and (c) retailers of food supplements; and if he will postpone the implementation of the provision of the Statutory Instrument which transposes the directive.

Melanie Johnson: The Food Standards Agency (FSA) consulted widely during negotiations on the Food Supplements Directive and, more recently, on the draft Food Supplements (England) Regulations 2003. The FSA has produced Regulatory Impact Assessments (RIAs) on both the directive and the implementing regulations. The RIAs summarise the FSA's assessment of the impact of the legislation on the food supplements industry in England.
	The United Kingdom has to implement the directive by 31 July 2003. If we did not do so this would be a serious breach of our obligations under the European Commission treaty and would attract infraction proceedings by the EC under Article 226 against the UK and would risk heavy fines. Other member states may also initiate action under Article 227.
	The implementing regulations make use of all the flexibility available to us in the directive, that is, they permit continued sale of food supplements in the UK until 1 January 2010 where relevant criteria are met; they do not require notification of new products placed on the market; and they prohibit trade in non-compliant products from 1 August 2005.

Glivec

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the availability of Glivec for leukaemia sufferers following the National Institute for Clinical Excellence provisional recommendation.

Melanie Johnson: The consultation period for the National Institute for Clinical Excellence's (NICE) provisional recommendations on Glivec for the first line treatment of chronic myeloid leukaemia has closed and NICE is now in the process of preparing its final guidance. It would be inappropriate to comment in advance of the publication of NICE'S final recommendations, which are expected to be published in the autumn.

Health and Social Care Bill

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Health with regard to clause 62 of the Health and Social Care (Community Health and Standards) Bill, what he intends by a reasonable time.

Rosie Winterton: We would expect the Commission for Healthcare Audit and Inspection (CHAI) normally to enter and inspect premises at a time agreed with the owner.
	However, where an unannounced visit takes place, it will be for CHAI to decide what is a reasonable time under the right of entry in Clause 60 (formerly Clause 62) of the Health and Social Care (Community Health and Standards) Bill, and given any particular circumstances in the case in question.

Health and Social Care Bill

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if personal records inspected under the right of entry will be covered by the Data Protection Act 1998 under clause 63 of the Health and Social Care (Community Health and Standards) Bill; and if the person for whom the records are held will have the right to be informed that their records have been inspected and that copies have been taken which will be removed from the premises.

Rosie Winterton: The Commission for Healthcare Audit and Inspection (CHAI) will be subject to the provisions of the Data Protection Act 1998 (DPA 1998) as is currently the case for the Commission for Health Improvement, National Care Standards Commission and Audit Commission, the bodies from which CHAI is composed.
	CHAI will be required to provide "fair processing information" to persons whose records are inspected under clause 61, unless:
	there is disproportionate effort in doing so;
	they are satisfied that the subjects have already been adequately informed; or
	in the case of an investigation of an individual, to do so would prejudice the investigation.
	Under the DPA 1998, organisations that will be subject to CHAI or other inspections must also ensure that patients are made aware that their records may be accessed by CHAI and the reasons why this may be necessary.

Health and Social Care Bill

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will put in place safeguards to ensure (a) that only records relevant to an inspection are inspected and (b) that an individual's right to privacy is protected under clause 63 of the Health and Social Care (Community Health and Standards) Bill.

Rosie Winterton: Subsection (1) of clause 61 of the Health and Social Care (Community Health and Standards) Bill establishes that the Commission for Healthcare Audit and Inspection (CHAI) may access records that it considers are necessary or expedient for the purpose of its functions under chapter 3 of the Bill. It will be for CHAI to decide what information is relevant to its inspections.
	This will ensure that CHAI will not be able to inspect records unless it considers that they are relevant to the exercise of its functions. A body will have recourse to the courts if CHAI exercises its powers in an inappropriate way.

Health and Social Care Bill

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Health who is responsible for deciding what constitutes a prescribed person under Clause 65(1) of the Health and Social Care (Community Health and Standards) Bill.

Rosie Winterton: Regulations to be laid by the Secretary of State will provide a definition of a prescribed person and the prescription of such times and places as an explanation will be required.

Health and Social Care Bill

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  whether, under Clause 60(1) of the Health and Social Care (Community Health and Standards) Bill, there is to be a scale of fees for different cases or classes of case that the Commission for Healthcare Audit and Inspection will charge in respect of its reviewing and investigating functions;
	(2)  if he will list the information the Commission for Healthcare Audit and Inspection will require a person or body to provide to enable it to determine its fee under Clause 60 of the Health and Social Care (Community Health and Standards) Bill.

Rosie Winterton: It will be for the Commission for Healthcare Audit and Inspection (CHAI) to determine what information it may require for the purpose of determining the fee payable by a person or body under subsection 57(1) (formally section 60(1)) of the Health and Social Care (Community Health and Standards) Bill.
	Under section 57(4) (formally section 60(4)), fees that CHAI may wish to apply in respect of its reviewing and investigating functions may include provision for different fees to be paid in different cases or different classes of cases related to specified functions.

Health and Social Care Bill

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether, under Clause 60 of the Health and Social Care (Community Health and Standards) Bill, the National Assembly for Wales will be able to charge a fee for its reviewing and investigating functions in the case of a cross-border strategic health authority.

Rosie Winterton: The National Assembly for Wales will not be able to charge a fee for its reviewing and investigating functions in the case of cross border strategic health authorities, since such authorities do not exist. Provision is made for the Commission for Healthcare Audit and Inspection (CHAI), not the Assembly, to levy fees on cross border special health authorities. This is specified under section 57(1) (formally section 60(1)) of the Health and Social Care (Community Health and Standards) Bill.

Hospital Food

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what the most recent measurements are from the Phase I Better Hospital Food Programme's six key targets;
	(2)  pursuant to his answer of 6 March 2003, Official Report, column 1211W, on hospital food, what the most recent figures are for 2003 of the Stage I Better Hospital Food Programme 6 key targets.

Rosie Winterton: The figures will be made available shortly.

Measles

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the incidence of measles has been in each primary care trust in London in each of the last five years.

Melanie Johnson: Information on the number of notifications of infectious diseases are collected through the notifications of infectious diseases system (NOIDS). The Communicable Disease Surveillance Centre, part of the Health Protection Agency, is responsible for administering the NOIDS system. It is also responsible for collating information on laboratory confirmed cases.
	The number of laboratory confirmed cases of measles between 1997 and 2002 in London are shown in the table. Information has been provided for London, rather than by primary care trust, as the numbers are small. The data for 2002 is provisional and is therefore subject to change.
	
		
			 Year Number of cases in London 
		
		
			 1997 20 
			 1998 13 
			 1999 51 
			 2000 50 
			 2001 25 
			 2002 198

Milk Welfare Scheme

Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to change the Milk Welfare Scheme; and if he will make a statement.

Melanie Johnson: holding answer 7 July 2003
	The consultation paper setting out the Government's intention to reform the Welfare Food Scheme, "Healthy Start: proposals for reform of the Welfare Food Scheme", was published in October 2002. The Government published a summary of the responses received on 16 March 2003. Copies of both documents are available in the Library and are also available on the Department of Health's website at www.doh.gov.uk/healthystart. The Health and Social Care (Community Health and Standards) Bill, which is before Parliament, contains the required legislation to reform the Welfare Food Scheme.

Mobile Defibrillators

Jimmy Wray: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what proposals he has to expand the distribution of mobile defibrillators into (a) public buildings, (b) aeroplanes and (c) other areas.

Melanie Johnson: The second phase of the Department of Health's national defibrillator programme was completed in November 2002. 679 automated external defibrillators (AEDs) have been installed across a total of 109 sites in England, including airports, railway stations, bus/coach stations, ferry ports and one shopping centre.
	In July 2000, the NHS plan made a commitment to provide 3,000 AEDs in public places throughout England. The Department of Health is working in partnership with the New Opportunities Fund and the British Heart Foundation to take this forward.

Muscular Dystrophy

Paul Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people suffer from (a) muscular dystrophy and (b) carry the muscular dystrophy gene.

Stephen Ladyman: Information on the incidence of individual diseases and on the number people carrying a particular gene is not held centrally.

Myeloma

Patsy Calton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what funding was available for research into a cure for myeloma in each of the last five years; and if he will make a statement about future funding.

Melanie Johnson: The main Government agency for research into the causes of and treatments for disease is the Medical Research Council (MRC) which receives its funding from the Department of Trade and Industry via the Office for Science and Technology. The MRCs expenditure on research on myeloma is shown in the table.
	
		
			 Year £ 
		
		
			 1998–99 410,000 
			 1999–2000 390,000 
			 2000–01 360,000 
			 2001–02 420,000 
			 2002–03 not available 
		
	
	The MRC has also supported two major myeloma studies: Myeloma VII and Myeloma VIII. Because the MRC has changed the way in which information is kept about funding of trials, the figures in the table do not include spend on these two studies. The MRC has recently awarded £1 million to the Myeloma IX trial involving 1,600 patients. This trial will evaluate a number of different therapies and modalities of treatment used and being developed for myeloma, to provide information on their impact on response rates, survival and quality of life.
	The MRC funds a considerable amount of basic underpinning research which is excluded from site-specific figures. As a guide, the MRC spent £75 million on cancer research in 2001–02. In addition, research classified as undertaken in one site may well have implications in another—leukaemia would be a relevant example in the case of myeloma.
	The Department of Health meets the national health service support costs of research funded by the MRC and research charities. In 2000–01, an estimated £73.2 million was spent on cancer research through research and development allocations to NHS organisations. Management of the research supported by these allocations is devolved and expenditure at project level is not held centrally by the Department.

Nottinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust

Paul Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much it cost the Nottinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust to place the article, 'We're making breakthroughs every day', in the Nursing Times on 17 June.

Stephen Ladyman: The 'Making Breakthroughs' advertisement placed by the Nottinghamshire Healthcare National Health Service Trust in the Nursing Times of the 17 June cost £4,900. The advertisement was aimed at attracting a significant number of high quality applicants to vacant nursing posts within the trust. Previous experience has shown that similar advertisements have had a high impact and deliver return on investment. Early evidence suggests the 17 June advertisement will be similarly successful.

Obesity

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what obesity management treatments are available on the NHS; and what plans the Government have to increase these.

Melanie Johnson: The National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE) has issued guidance on the anti-obesity drugs orlistat and sibutramine, treatment with which should be accompanied by specific concomitant advice, support and counselling on diet, physical activity and behavioural strategies. In July 2002 NICE also issued guidance which confirmed that surgical intervention was an appropriate treatment in some cases for the treatment of morbid obesity, when other options have proved unsuccessful. There are also 10 national health service obesity clinics in England.
	In 2001, the Department of Health published a National Quality Assurance Framework on Exercise Referral Systems. The document offers guidance to primary care and fitness professionals, who work together to offer tailored exercise and physical activity programmes to patients whose health would benefit from increased exercise.
	National service frameworks (NSFs) have been introduced—for example, for coronary heart disease (CHD), cancer, older people, diabetes and mental health—which set out the national standards that should be expected for treatment and services. The forthcoming NSF for children will address the health and social care needs of all children and will include the promotion of healthy eating and physical activity. Under the new arrangements for the NHS as outlined in "Shifting the Balance of Power", primary care trusts (PCTs) allocate funding from their own devolved budgets to deliver national targets and milestones and to meet local priorities.
	The NHS Priorities and Planning Framework for 2003–06 includes targets on reducing CHD and diabetes. One of these targets requires practice-based registers and systematic treatment regimes, including appropriate advice on diet, physical activity and smoking, to cover the majority of patients at high risk of coronary heart disease, particularly those with hypertension, diabetes and a body mass index greater than 30 (i.e. people who are obese).
	NICE and the Health Development Agency are also undertaking collaborative work to develop guidance on the identification, prevention and management of obesity and maintenance of weight reduction.

Obesity

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what steps the Government take to inform the public about weight loss options;
	(2)  what information the Government issues regarding proven and unproven weight loss programmes;
	(3)  what research the Government have undertaken to evaluate the different weight loss programmes available in the commercial market;
	(4)  what research the Government have undertaken into the long-term effects of commercial weight loss programmes.

Melanie Johnson: An evidence-based approach is being taken to tackle the prevention and management of obesity.
	The Health Development Agency (HDA) will publish its review of effective interventions for the prevention and treatment of obesity later this year. A systematic review carried out by the University of York in 1997 indicated that effective interventions for obesity include diet, physical activity and behavioural strategies for adults in combination where possible. The health technology assessment programme, a national programme of research established and funded by the Department of Health research and development programme, currently includes a systematic review of obesity treatments which will update the 1997 review, publication of which is expected in January 2004. Commercial programmes which meet the inclusion criteria of these reviews will be assessed.
	The National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE), collaborating with the HDA, have been tasked by the Department to develop guidance on the identification, prevention and management of obesity and maintenance of weight reduction.
	Novel diets can be a variation of a "very low calorie diet" (VLCD): one which provides approximately less than 800 calories per day. A Committee on Medical Aspects of Food and Nutrition Policy (COMA 1987) report on VLCDs highlighted that a major criticism of them is that individuals frequently re-gain any weight lost after the diet has ended. A 1998 report by the Royal College of Physicians on the "Clinical management of overweight and obese patients" supported the findings of the COMA panel.
	Primary care has a particularly important role in the prevention and management of obesity. Local action is being delivered through the national service frameworks, which aim to improve standards of care, and the Priorities and Planning Framework.
	The Department has also funded the British Dietetic Association, as part of their "Weight Wise" campaign, to undertake project work on consumer messages and communication methods relating to weight management. The Department also contributed to the funding of the charity Weight Concern (through a Section 64 grant) to develop a "toolkit" on obesity for health professionals to use with patients in a group setting.
	The Food Standards Agency supports projects relating to diet and nutrition and promoting the uptake of a healthy balanced diet in order to maintain a healthy weight throughout life and have an important role in providing consumers with information on healthy eating.

Patients Forums

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many public patient involvement forums he expects will be functioning by the end of 2003; and how many people will be sitting on each forum at the end of 2003.

Rosie Winterton: The intention is that all patient and public involvement forums will be set up and able to carry out their functions by 1 December. It is likely that, initially, each forum will have a minimum of seven members. This is the figure included in the draft patient forum regulations that are subject to current consultation.

Psychosis

Paul Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  if he will make a statement on how the target for reducing the average waiting time for untreated psychosis to three months, as proposed in the NHS Plan, will be met;
	(2)  what the latest average waiting time for untreated psychosis is in England; and whether the NHS Plan target of all young people who experience a first episode receiving the early and intensive support they need will be met by 2004.

Rosie Winterton: The Department of Health is committed to the establishment of 50 early intervention teams by December 2004, to provide treatment and active support in the community to 7,500 young people and their families with the aim of reducing the period of untreated psychosis, prevent initial problems, and improve long-term outcomes. Positive progress is being made towards the achievement of the target with 24 early intervention teams established to date.
	Information on the duration of untreated psychosis is being collected as a routine measure as from 1 April 2003, on a quarterly basis as part of local delivery plan reporting. Data for the first quarter should be available in August.

Ritalin

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people in each primary care trust aged (a) 0 to 15 years, (b) 16 to 59 and (c) 60 and over have been prescribed Ritalin in each of the last five years.

Rosie Winterton: Information is not available in the form requested. However the figures in the table show the total number of prescription items of Methylphenidate Hydrochloride dispensed in the community in England in each of the last five years. The majority of prescription items of Methylphenidate Hydrochloride are for the brand Ritalin.
	
		Number of prescription items of Methylphenidate Hydrochloride dispensed in the community in England—1998–2002
		
			 Year Thousands 
		
		
			 1998 126.6 
			 1999 158.0 
			 2000 186.2 
			 2001 208.5 
			 2002 254.0 
		
	
	Source:
	Prescription cost analysis data from the Prescription Pricing Authority
	In 2002, around 91 per cent. of the 254,000 prescription items were dispensed in the community to children—children under 16 and young people aged 16 to 18 in full-time education. An estimated 1 per cent. of the items were dispensed to people aged 60 and over with the remainder being dispensed to other adults. These proportions have been similar in recent years.

SARS

Paul Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people have been diagnosed with severe acute respiratory syndrome.

Melanie Johnson: As of Friday 27 June 2003, there had been 8,450 cases of sever acute respiratory syndrome and 810 deaths reported from 29 countries. The United Kingdom reported four probable cases, all of whom have recovered.

Sexual Health

Sandra Gidley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to launch a dedicated national service framework for sexual health; and if he will make a statement.

Melanie Johnson: holding answer 3 July 2003
	The report on sexual health published by the Health Select Committee on 11 June recommended that a national service framework for sexual health be developed. We are currently considering all of the recommendations in this report and the Government will publish a full response in due course.

Sexual Health

Sandra Gidley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to ensure that access to high-quality sexual health services and drugs is (a) made a priority and (b) resourced as part of the new general practitioner's contract.

Melanie Johnson: holding answer 3 July 2003
	General practice plays a crucial role in the delivery of sexual health services. The new general medical services contract includes a new patient services guarantee to ensure patients have full access to all the range of services they currently enjoy, backed-up by a gross investment guarantee that will see investment in primary care increase by one-third by 2005–06.
	Patients will therefore not only continue to obtain contraceptive services and screening for sexually transmitted infections where appropriate, but primary care trusts will also be able to commission more specialised sexual health services that deliver services in line with the national strategy for sexual health and HIV.

Skin Cancer

Ashok Kumar: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to alert people to the dangers of skin cancer and over-exposure to UV radiation.

Melanie Johnson: A new sun awareness initiative, "SunSmart" was launched on 27 March by Cancer Research UK to make the public aware of the dangers of exposure to the sun. The campaign is based on the successful SunSmart campaign in Australia. The campaign has received funding of £120,000 from the United Kingdom Health Departments this year. We will evaluate the effectiveness of the campaign later in the year, with a view to deciding on future funding and campaigns.
	The SunSmart campaign consists of: a poster and leaflet for the public; Cancer Research UK website redesign and links to other stakeholders; branding and design of SunSmart; Cancer Research UK commissioned research at Centre for Social Marketing; and a part-time health promotion consultant at Cancer Research UK for the duration of the campaign.
	The campaign's aim is to increase the profile of the issue of skin cancer and methods of effective sun protection.
	The key objectives are to increase knowledge of the causes of skin cancer, to increase awareness of actions that can be taken to prevent skin cancer and to influence positively attitudes to sun protection.
	Subject to further funding, longer-term aims are to reduce sunlight exposure through changes in behaviour and environment, to increase the proportion of people reporting with early stage disease and decrease the proportion of people presenting with late tumours.
	The campaign's key messages have been disseminated by way of an alert to the campaign and mailshot pack of posters and leaflets to all GP surgeries and health promotion units nationally, an alert to the campaign and mailshot to secondary schools with 3,500 leaflets and posters; and a series of press events over summer 2003 with leaflets and posters targeted in cities and seaside resorts.
	We developed the "SunSafe" web pages last year, which were designed with children in mind, on the Department of Health website at www.doh.qov.uk/sunsafe. These will continue. Sun awareness information is also contained on the Wired For Health website at www.wiredforhealth.qov.uk/teaching/sun/intro.html.
	We continue to fund annually the Meteorological Office to provide the daily UV index in the media on the TV, radio and Meteorological Office website.
	The Department of Health also provides core funding to the National Radiological Protection Board, which has expertise on ultra violet radiation issues.

Special Advisers

Annabelle Ewing: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many of the staff of his Department, including special advisers, are seconded from pharmaceutical companies.

Rosie Winterton: holding answer 7 July 2003
	The Department has no central records of any secondments from the private sector.

Smoking

Paul Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the estimated percentage of (a) boys and (b) girls who smoke regularly was in each year since 1997.

Melanie Johnson: The available data are shown in the table.
	
		Prevalence of regular cigarette smoking among secondary school pupils aged 11 to 15, by gender—England, 1998 to 2002 -- Percentage
		
			  Boys Girls All pupils 
		
		
			 1998 9 12 11 
			 1999 8 10 9 
			 2000 9 12 10 
			 2001 8 11 10 
			 2002 9 11 10 
		
	
	Note:
	Regular smokers are those who smoke at least one cigarette a week, on average.
	Source:
	Department of Health Statistical Press Notice: "Smoking, drinking and drug use among young people in England in 2002: Provisional Results". Available at http://www.doh.qov.uk/public/spnmar03-smokinq.htm

Smoking

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent research his Department has undertaken into the numbers of children and young people who smoke; what plans he has to reduce these numbers; and if he will make a statement.

Melanie Johnson: The 1998 White Paper, "Smoking Kills", set a target to reduce smoking among 11–15 year olds from 13 per cent. in 1996 to 9 per cent. by 2010, with a fall to 11 per cent. by 2005.
	Among 11–15 year olds, smoking prevalence has remained unchanged since 2000 at 10 per cent. and we are on course to meet our target for reducing smoking. Within the adult group—16–19 year olds, data (collected from a different source) show that for young men figures increased in 1998. For young women, there has been a marked improvement in 2000. The figures indicate an overall fall in prevalence in England. Measures the Government is taking to tackle teenage smoking are:
	a comprehensive ban on advertising, promotion and sponsorship of tobacco products: The cigarettes smoked most by children are also those most heavily advertised;
	tough enforcement on under-age sales: on 13 September 2000 the Government launched an Enforcement Protocol with local authorities to ensure that the existing legislation on under-age sales is properly enforced;
	the Government supports proof of age card schemes which protect shopkeepers and children alike;
	tougher new restrictions on siting of cigarette vending machines;
	an extensive health education campaign aimed at smokers and non-smokers;
	fiscal policy: the high price of cigarettes is a particular disincentive for young people.
	
		Prevalence of regular cigarette smoking among secondary school pupils aged 11 to 15, by gender—England, 1996 to 2002 -- (Percentages)
		
			 Year 1996 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 
		
		
			  
			  
			 Boys 11 9 8 9 8 9 
			 Girls 15 12 10 12 11 11 
			 All pupils 13 11 9 10 10 10 
		
	
	Notes
	Regular smokers are those who smoke at least one cigarette a week, on average.
	Source
	The Department of Health Statistical Press Notice, 'Smoking, drinking and drug use among young people in England in 2002: Provisional Results'. Available at: http://www.doh.qov.uk/public/spnmar03-smokinq.htm
	
		Prevalence of smoking cigarettes among adults, England, 1996–2001 aged 16–19 and by gender  -- (Percentages)
		
			  1996(18) 1998(18) 1998(19) 2000(19) 2001(19) 
		
		
			  
			  
			 Men 25 30 30 30 24 
			 Women 32 33 33 28 31 
			 All persons 29 31 31 30 28 
		
	
	(18) Unweighted
	(19) Weighted
	Notes
	1. Up until 2000, data on the prevalence on smoking from the General Household Survey were only available every two years.
	2. Data for 1998 onwards were weighted to compensate for under-representation of people in some groups: earlier figures were based on unweighted data, and are not therefore directly comparable.
	3. Respondents who answered "yes" to the question "Do you smoke cigarettes at all nowadays?"
	Source
	Office for National Statistics: General Household Survey 2001, published as, 'Living in Britain: Results from the 2001 General Household Survey'. Available at: http://www.statlstics.qov.uk/nb2001/index.html

Sunblocks

Anne Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will reclassify high factor sunblock as a medicine.

Melanie Johnson: The decision as to whether a particular product is a medicinal product is made by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency, using the definition of that term in Article 1 of Directive 2001/83, relevant legal precedent and its own published guidance. Products, which are presented to the consumer for treating or preventing disease, would be classified as medicinal products. Sunburn is an adverse medical condition and direct or implied product claims to treat or prevent sunburn would bring the product within the definition of a medicinal product, regardless of the product's level of sun protection factor. Products that modify physiological function could also be classified as medicinal products.
	Certain creams or lotions with a sun protection factor of 15 or above, which are not licensed or marketed as medicines, may be assessed by the Advisory Committee on Borderline Substances (ACBS) as being regarded as drugs for the management of specific conditions. Products so recommended by the ACBS may be prescribed under the National Health Service.

World Health Organisation

Robert Key: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to his answer of 30 June 2003, Official Report, column 118W, ref 121295, if he will list the scientific evidence on which the answer is based; and if he will make a statement on the procedures developed by the World Health Organisation.

Melanie Johnson: Scientific evidence that should be taken into account in the safety assessment include: composition, effects of processing and cooking, transformation procedure, the genetic modification event, protein expression of the novel DNA (including function, potential toxicity and potential allergenicity), potential secondary effects from gene expression, and potential intake regulatory impact.
	The safety assessment of genetically modified (GM) food is undertaken by independent scientists on a case by case basis in accordance with the European Commission guidelines that accompany the EC Novel Foods Regulation (EC/258/97). Regulation 1852/2001 requires the European Commission to publish the data, which supports each GM food application made under EC 258/97.
	Several organisations (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development and the Food and Agriculture Organisations of the United Nations), including the World Health Organisation have agreed that the assessment procedure for GM foods requires an integrated and stepwise, case-by-case approach.

Xenotransplantation

Roger Godsiff: To ask the Secretary of State for Health for what reasons his Department does not intend to publish the findings of the report which it commissioned on the legality of xenotransplantation from Professor McLean and Dr. Williamson at the University of Glasgow.

Rosie Winterton: The United Kingdom Xenotransplantation Interim Regulatory Authority (UKXIRA) advises my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State, on issues about xenotransplantation (transplantation of live animal organs and cells into humans). The Department of Health commissioned a series of three reviews on different aspects of xenotransplantation on behalf of the UKXIRA between 1999 and 2001. The first two—on infection and on physiology—were published 2001 and 2002. A third review, on the legal and ethical aspects of xenotransplantation, was commissioned from Professor Sheila McLean, of the University of Glasgow, who was also a member of the UKXIRA from 1997 to 2002.
	The UKXIRA has considered the review and concluded that it made some useful discussion points and that the summary of the research papers should be placed on the UKXIRA website. While there are no plans to publish Professor McLean's whole review as a Department of Health/UKXIRA document, Professor McLean is free to publish it if she wishes.

Private Sector Operations

Evan Harris: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people classed as self pay undertook operations in the private sector in each year since 1997, broken down by type of operation.

John Hutton: The Department of Health does not collect information on the number of patients having operations carried out in the private sector, nor on the source of funding for those operations.